A Treat for Your Sweet: Strawberries and Cream Cookies

I read that Americans are expected to spend an average of $175.41 per person on Valentine’s Day gifts in 2023. Last year, it was $167.76.

Who are these people polling? 

Well, at our house, that does not happen. And I don't want it to happen. I have enough Midwestern thrift in me that I can't fathom spending that kind of money on a Hallmark-inspired holiday. And I seem to remember that the whole thing is tied to a massacre. (Spending that kind of money will massacre your pocketbook, all right.)

Randy usually has to settle for a treat from our kitchen. I don't hear him complaining.

If that's closer to the budget, I have an option for you: Strawberries and Cream Cookies. Freeze-dried strawberries provide the flavor bomb, along with white chocolate or cream cheese baking chips. I found Hershey's brand cream cheese baking chips one time. I'm now searching for them again. But white chocolate chips are tasty, too.

I initially tried a new recipe. But I ended up liking my old standard cookie recipe better. As I've shared before, I usually triple a standard cookie recipe and let that serve as my base. Then, I divide the dough into three or four portions and add different mix-ins. That way, I make one mess and end up with a variety of cookies. I LOVE that. (Get it: I LOVE it for Valentine's and for any time I need a bunch of cookies.)

And, yes, I use shortening. I like the texture that shortening provides. Plus, you don't have to refrigerate the dough before baking. However, if you want to substitute butter, you can do that. You'll need to refrigerate the dough before baking to prevent spreading. Recipes that use butter usually say to refrigerate at least 2 hours, then let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

Forbes magazine said that 53 percent of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate Valentine's Day, and more than three-quarters believe it’s important to show some love on Valentine’s Day given the current times.

Show some love: Make cookies. (For more Valentine treat ideas, go to the bottom of this post for more tried-and-true recipes from Kim's County Line.) And Happy Valentine's Day!

Strawberries and Cream Cookies

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup roughly chopped or lightly-crushed freeze-dried strawberries

1 cup white chocolate or cream cheese chips

 

Combine dry ingredients; set aside. Cream sugar and shortening in mixer until smooth and well-combined. Add vanilla and eggs; mix well.  Add dry ingredients. Stir in freeze-dried strawberries and white chocolate chips. 

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to portion out cookies and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned.

 

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Here are some other ideas for Valentine treats: 

Why not start with breakfast? Cranberry Apple Coffee Cake

Homemade Pretzels

Decadent Chocolate Torte

Chocolate Chip Truffles

 Cake Ball Truffles

 Caramel Chip Bars

 

  White Chocolate Blondies

Caramel Puffed Corn

 
My Valentine would prefer a blueberry pie.

Either traditional blueberry ...

or crumb-topped!

There are lots of other tried-and-tested dessert recipes here on Kim's County Line for everything from snack mixes to drop cookies to bar cookies to cakes to pies. I don't post them unless we like them! There is a search function at the upper left of the blog. Or, you can always ask. Just post a comment here or email me at rkjbfarms@gmail.com

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

 

Ordinary Miracle

It's easy to take familiar things for granted. I really try not to do that, but, reminders are always good. One of Randy's relatives posted a link of their daughter singing, "Ordinary Miracle," on Facebook not long ago. I had heard the song before, but until I did a little research, I didn't remember that the song was in the movie, Charlotte's Web.

Besides listening to the Facebook link, I searched online for the lyrics. The words again came back to me as Randy and I went out for an after-lunch drive.

 As we walked to the pickup, we were serenaded by snow geese flying overhead, looking like sewing stitches in a clear blue sky.

Nothing says miracle like new baby calves.

After our sashay through the "maternity ward," we took a side trip to nearby Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. The last time we'd driven through Quivira, there was no water at all due to extreme drought. We still haven't had much rain or snow, so I was surprised to see a little water in the Little Salt Marsh. 

That day, the sun hopscotched its way across the ice, and that seemed like a miracle, too. Shortly thereafter, I got this email devotional:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! ... When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him? Psalm 8:1a, 3-4 (NIV) 

  A Time to Think

The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see.

 —Robert Holden, Ph.D

A Time to Act

Recognize the infinite possibilities of God’s work.

A Time to Pray

Dear Lord, when I am focused on my problems, and most likely making mountains out of molehills, guide me to go outside, look upwards and have faith in Your omnipotence.

I decided to use "file" photos from Kim's County Line to illustrate the lyrics of Ordinary Miracle. If you'd like to listen to the Sarah McLachlan version, it's at the bottom of this post.

Ordinary Miracle

Performed by Sarah McLachlan

Photos by Kim Fritzemeier

 

 It's not that unusual
When everything is beautiful

It's just another ordinary miracle today

 

The sky knows when it's time to snow

 

 Don't need to teach a seed to grow

l.

It's just another ordinary miracle today

 

Life is like a gift they say
Wrapped up for you everyday
Open up and find a way
To give some of your own

 Isn't it remarkable?
Like every time a rain drop falls
It's just another ordinary miracle today

 

Birds in winter have their fling
But always make it home by spring
It's just another ordinary miracle today

 

 When you wake up everyday

Please don't throw your dreams away

Hold them close to your heart
'Cause we're all a part

Of the ordinary miracle

Ordinary miracle

Do you want to see a miracle?

Our Rattlesnake Pasture - February 2023

 

It seems so exceptional
That things just work out after all
It's just another ordinary miracle today

 

Sun comes up and shines so bright
And disappears again at night

 
It's just another ordinary miracle today.

Songwriters: David Allan Stewart / Glen Ballard

Ordinary Miracle lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Mgb Ltd., Sony/atv Harmony, Universal Music Corp., Bmg Platinum Songs Us, Sony/atv Melody, Aerostation Corp., Arlovol Music

 

 

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I could eat soup every day during the winter. Really. Now if I could just convince Randy of that. 

In reality, he's easy to feed. He doesn't complain, though he will give subtle hints about what he prefers. He doesn't prefer peanut butter. Or lemon (unless it's in his iced tea or our family-favorite Lemonade Dessert. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but I have my idiosyncrasies, too.) As you might expect from a Kansas beef producer, he prefers beef over chicken. 

But he still will eat chicken on occasion. And he doesn't complain when it makes an appearance on the menu. I love chicken and noodles in any form - over mashed potatoes, in a casserole or a soup. This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup was a hit with both of us.

January was National Soup Month, but I don't quit making soup when the calendar flips to February (or March, for that matter). Soup always is a great warm-up when the skies are gloomy and the wind chills are hovering way below the freezing mark like they have been this week. 

It's Groundhog Day today, and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. That is supposed to signify another 6 weeks of winter. If Phil is right, I guess there will be plenty of time to put this soup on your meal plan.

The recipe came from Sally's Baking Addiction. Her blog is a go-to for baking for both Jill and me, but I really hadn't seen a lot of main-dish recipes on the site. I'm glad this one caught my eye.

She used rotisserie chicken in her soup. I don't have that option at my hometown grocery store, so I just seasoned frozen chicken breasts and microwaved them. The other ingredients were all ones I had in my fridge or pantry. 

Serve with relishes, crackers and fruit. And you'll have a meal that warms you from the inside out. 

 Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

 

1 tbsp. butter

3/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup sliced or diced carrots

1 cup sliced or diced celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. ground pepper (to taste)

1/2 tsp. ground thyme

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

8 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups potato, diced

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped

1 cup half and half or whole milk

3-4 cups uncooked noodles (I used 3 cups)

Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven (4 quart or larger) over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Stir in flour and seasonings. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and diced potatoes. Stir, then increase the heat to medium high. Bring the soup to a boil, without stirring and boil for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and allow to simmer 25 minutes or until the potatoes have softened. Taste the soup and add more seasonings to taste, if desired. 

 

Add the chicken, half and half and noodles. Cook for 10 minutes until the noodles are tender and the soup has thickened. Once again, taste the soup and adjust the seasonings to taste. 

 

Refrigerate leftovers for up to a week. To reheat, you will likely need to add a little additional chicken broth (or bouillon in water) since pasta absorbs the liquid.

Makes about 12 cups of soup.

NOTES:

• For the chicken: You may use rotisserie chicken (if you have it available in your area). You could use leftover chicken or turkey. I just seasoned some frozen chicken breasts and microwaved them until done, then cut them up.
  
• Sally's Baking Addiction says to use 3 to 4 cups of WIDE egg noodles. I didn't have wide noodles. You can use regular-sized noodles or other pasta or 1 cup uncooked rice. 
• Also from Sally's - Slow Cooker Instructions: Soften the onion, carrots, celery and garlic on the stovetop, as directed in the recipe. Transfer to a slow cooker and add chicken broth. Allow to cook for 2 hours on low. Then add the potato, chicken, half/half and noodles. Cook on low an additional 1 to 2 hours. 

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WINNER, WINNER!

And now, a little bit of housekeeping: Diana Hemphill is the winner of the blogiversary gift celebrating my 13 years of Kim's County Line. She chose the notecards. Thanks to all who commented and participated! 

Oh Baby! The Class of 2023

 

Some things just never get old. Baby calves definitely fit in that category.

While we aren't doing the day-to-day cattle chores any longer, we still own our mama cows. Tye and his dad, Todd, are the caretakers and calve out our mamas, along with their own herd. 

As I've said before, we are fortunate to have a liberal visitation policy in the neighborhood maternity ward. We've already had "visiting hours" a couple of times as the cows begin dropping their calves. The first time, it was lightly snowing. The second time, we got some sunshine. 

Snow or no snow, the mamas' make sure the babies have warm milk in their tummies.

This little guy was loving the snow. I'm always amused by the similarities between mamas and babies - no matter the species. The mom was calming standing around while the baby raced to and fro.

Our cattle have always had yellow ear tags. Tye and Todd continue to use yellow tags for our baby calves to differentiate from their herd.  

We've used Angus or Hereford bulls to expand our cattle herd. But Tye and Todd also like the crossbred babies produced by Charolais bulls. This baby definitely looks like his Daddy, not his mama.

Others had more a maternal resemblance.

The second day we visited the maternity ward was deceptively sunny, though it was still cold.

I'm sure it won't be the last visit. But maybe we'll wait until it's a little warmer. I can't say that I miss being in the feed truck on these days when the thermometer is struggling to rise.

The Tapestry of Kansas: Celebrating Kansas Day

Randy and the calving pen in 2010

Earlier this month, we sold the last bit of farming equipment. Though most of our farm equipment and supplies went on the auction block during our sale last August, Randy held onto the calving pen. 

It was at our house, rather than the farm headquarters. He decided to wait to sell it until it was calving season. That time came in mid-January. I put it on Facebook, and we had seven inquiries about it before we went to bed that night. The first one to call was the lucky owner of the new-to-them calving pen.

2020, milking a cow using the breakaway gate, so that we could feed her baby

The calving pen was located in the calving shed we erected in 2016 after the barn we had been using succumbed to gravity. Until I read the old blog post, I had forgotten, but we bought the pen in 2010 from another farmer who was retiring from the cattle business. Originally, it went in the barn. At the time, I wrote that some wives get little blue boxes from Tiffany's for Christmas presents. I got a calving pen.

Here's part of what I wrote:

Maybe you were like me and were initially thinking that the calving pen might have been a gift more suited to Randy. That's OK. I thought it, too. But then I got to thinking: Maybe this big metal box does say love. I remembered last February when Randy was at a meeting, and we had a heifer in trouble. My attempts to get the vet on the phone went unanswered. Jake (our farm employee at the time), a helpful neighbor and I finally got the calf delivered. But a nice calving pen, complete with head gate, would sure have made it easier. A pen with lots of different gates and openings would make it safer for the people and the animals.

From Kim's County Line, December 20, 2010

That blog post turned out to be prophetic. The calving pen with its breakaway gate helped reluctant mothers and their new babies bond. The head gate helped contain mothers who needed some extra help when Mother Nature wasn't yielding a baby calf in a timely manner. (Click HERE for a photo essay of a birth using the calving pen.) Being able to use it saved several babies. The shed provided shelter for mamas and their new babies on particularly brutal winter nights.

 

And, I must admit, I was a little misty-eyed, thinking about it leaving the farmyard. 

But, on the other hand, it will serve another farm family in a similar way. Just like we benefited from buying someone else's equipment, they - and their cow-calf herd - will benefit from the purchase they made from us, too.  

We will celebrate Kansas Day on Sunday, January 29. It will be Kansas' 162nd birthday. Kansas became the 34th state of the union in 1861. My Moore ancestors came to Kansas in 1876, 15 years after Kansas became a state. My Neelly ancestors were a little later, in 1898. I'm sure all of them would be amazed at the changes in Kansas, and especially, in farming. 

I'm thankful that both sides of my family saw beauty and opportunity here. (Click on the links to read more about how the Moores and the Neellys came to Kansas.) Randy, who is a fifth-generation farmer in his family, still owns a pasture that's been in his family since 1900.

This is an undated photo of Randy's Grandpa, Clarence Fritzemeier, with a bull. The back of the photo has written (in Randy's Grandma Ava's handwriting): "He looks like he knew he was going to be sold."

As we near the Kansas Day celebration, I thought again about that calving pen. It was used by our friend, Joe. Then it came to our farm, and now it will serve another farm family in Central Kansas.

Those threads of connection are woven throughout Kansas history and Kansas agriculture. Even back in 1861, the livestock industry was an important aspect of the state's agricultural economy. The state ranked third in the nation in cattle population by 1890, a position it held for several decades. Mixed farming (grain-livestock) has always been the predominant form of agriculture on Kansas family farms, including both the Fritzemeier and Moore agricultural legacies.

Thousands of head of cattle were shipped on trains from rail heads in Kansas to packing plants in Kansas City, Chicago, and other cities to the east.  

A photo I took in 2011 during the Kansas Cattle Drive to commemorate Kansas' 150th birthday

Between 1867 and 1885, towns like Abilene, Ellsworth, Wichita, Newton, Caldwell, and Dodge City became famous for their place in the cattle industry.

Photo from the Kansas State Historical Society, dated between 1891 and 1912

With the closing of the open range, Kansas cattlemen began to place greater emphasis on the breeding of better stock.  Shorthorns and Herefords were popular in the 1890s, according to the Kansas State Historical Society. Herefords are still part of the genetics on our County Line farm, along with Angus.

Generation to generation - the legacy of Kansas and of Kansas agriculture continues. And Kansas farmers are a strong thread in the tapestry of our state.

Let no one say the past is dead. 

The past is all around us and within.

Oodgeroo Noonucal, Aboriginal poet

Happy Birthday, Kansas!

Kinley, Kansas Day, 2019. I shared my Kansas books and sunflower cookies with her first grade class.

If you want to celebrate with special Kansas Day cookies, here's a LINK to the recipe.