Ozark Trail Bars

I'm on a mission to find a recipe after having Stone Mill's Ozark Blueberry Trail Bars yesterday. My Mother-in-law and I had a 10 o'clock appointment with AARP's free tax preparers at the Boys and Girl's Club in South Fayetteville. She was anxious to have her taxes done, we always worry we're going to have to pay... don't we? She got good news/bad news, the good news is she didn't have to pay and the bad... she didn't get any money back! Oh well, we felt rich somehow when we left there so we headed for a quick lunch at Stone Mill's Bakery and Cafe down on Gregg Street.

They are famous for their whole grain breads and have a delicious menu of homemade soups and sandwiches. It was a cold, blustery day so we both chose a bowl of Chicken and Dumpling soup. It came with two chunks of their crusty French Bread and butter, YUM! The soup was so good, little pinches of dumplings in a thick golden broth. I just know there's a Grandma back there in the kitchen making this one!

Since we were good and just had soup, well kinda good since we both scrarfed down the buttered bread... we decided we'd try the delicious looking Ozark Trail Bars that we saw in the bakery case as we ordered our soup. It was a little hard to look away from the giant iced cinnamon rolls, but they were the size of my hand and I can only eat so much! I went back up to the counter and ordered a mixed berry bar for me and a blueberry bar for Mom. They menu says they are made with whole wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt flours. In fact most of their breads are made without any fat, eggs or dairy. Now I'm on an Internet search for a recipe and it's not easy. Anyone have an idea how they did this magic trick... they were out of the this world delicious!

I didn't take my camera, but a quick Google search and I'm finding pictures that "look like" the bars, just not the healthy ingredients. Then I had the bright idea to see if anyone had posted a recipe to Pinterest. Lots of great recipes to try, even its not THE one!

Making Feta Cheese

When my oldest daughter sees this video, she's going to drop whatever she's doing and run to the store for rennet, calcium chloride and cheesecloth to make this batch of Feta cheese! I came across this on Pinterest the other day and if you like Feta... this easy to make recipe is going to make you very happy! The video is excellent, Mary Jane Toth has perfected cheese making and she shares all the tips you need to make a perfect batch. The marinated cheese recipe sounds delicious!

HOW TO MAKE FETA CHEESE (MILD)

Ingredients:

• 2 Gallons Milk (cow, goat or sheep)
• Feta  Culture:  1/8 teaspoon DVI
• Liquid Rennet:  1 teaspoon
• Water: ½ cup cool
• Kosher Salt or Cheese Salt
• Calcium Chloride if using store-bought milk

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Equipment:

• Cheese Vat or Stainless Pot (2 Gallon) do not use any aluminum pots
• Colander
• Large spoon
• Cheesecloth
• Long knife to cut the curds
• Thermometer
• Flat Dish (glass or plastic) for salting cheese

Instructions:

1. Warm Milk to 86 Degrees F. Sprinkle the DVI Feta Culture over the warmed milk, and stir well.

2. Only do this step if using store bought milk- Add 1 teaspoon calcium chloride, mixed into 1/2 cup cool water and stir into the milk.

3. Let ripen for 1 hour

4. Mix rennet into cool water, and stir into milk. Cover, and allow to set for another hour to coagulate.

5. Cut curds into 1 inch cubes and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

6.Stir curds gently every 5 minutes while keeping them at 86 degrees for 15 min. This is best achieved by placing the pot into a sink of hot water or using a double boiler.

7. Line a colander with cheesecloth, and pour the curds into the cloth. Collect and tie together the four corners of the cheesecloth to form a bag with the curds at the bottom. Hang to drain 4 to 6 hours

8. Once drained, remove the cheese from the cheesecloth and slice into 3 slabs. Each slab will be about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Lay them into a flat glass or plastic dish and sprinkle both sides lightly with cheese salt.\

9. Allow the cheese to set at room temperature for 24 hours.  While at room temperature, turn the cheese over 2 or 3 times salting each side again.  Total amount of salt used should be about 2-3 tablespoons. The cheese will weep liquid and firm up during the salting process. Liquid can be drained off or left on the cheese.  I prefer to drain it off myself.   Refrigerate and age 5-7 days.

MARINATED FETA

Now that you know how to make feta, try kicking it up a notch by marinating the cheese.  Delicious!

You will need:

• Mild or strong Feta
• Jars with lids
• Olive Oil
• Choice of herbs

For best flavor use aromatic herbs

Choose 3 or 4 from the list below, you can make any combination you like, this is where your imagination can go wild.  My favorite combination is Basil, Garlic and Rosemary.  Be creative and discover what your favorite flavor is.

• Basil
• Bay Leaves
• Fennel
• Garlic Cloves
• Hot Peppers dried or fresh
• Marjoram
• Onion
• Oregano
• Peppercorns, black, pink or white
• Rosemary
• Sun dried tomatoes
• Thyme
• Greek Peppers
• Olives

Cut or break the cheese into small pieces, about 1” in size.  Layer any combination of cheese and herbs into the jar.  Cover with oil.  Place on cupboard and allow the cheese to marinate.  As long as the cheese is covered completely with the oil, it will be preserved and does not require refrigeration. Cheese flavor improves with age.

Tip:  Once the cheese is gone you can strain the use the oil to add flavor to your dishes or make a wonderful salad dressing.

Irish Pride

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My Dad always liked to plant potatoes on his birthday in February, a little early but he wanted a "head start" on his neighbors! If you are of Irish decent, there's a certain amount of pride in putting the "eyes" in the ground and watching them sprout. It's more than food, it's satisfaction in knowing you can take care of yourself.

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All around America we still have that pioneer spirit in us, Springtime just brings it to the surface!

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You have to start somewhere though, a pretty garden like this doesn't just grow on it's own. Now's the time to dig up the plot, start the seeds and in some places of the country set the plants in the ground. First things first, make a trip to your Farmers Co-op for some good advice and inspiration!

To get tomatoes like Aunt B's and Uncle George's...

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so you can make this...

you need these!

Farmers Co-op is a little like standing in a "candy store," tempting me to buy a package of each!

Need...

want!

Here's some great ideas to get you started...

Potato Towers

Recycled Newspaper Pots

Galvanized Water Tank Planters

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Now get busy little birdies!

Spring Fever

I went by the Farmer's Co-Op last week and thumbed through the seed packets. Just in planning mode at this point, but it won't be long until Old Man Winter packs his bags and leaves our part of the country. Spring Time is just around the corner in all her green glory. I can't wait!

I have lots of plans this year, I keep seeing great ideas in magazines and on Pinterest. I love the idea of re-purposing something old and it seems I'm not the only one. It just brings a smile to your face to see something like this old chair, painted and pretty again, filled with

petunias and sweet potato vine.

I'd love to have a little potting shed at the edge of our woods, haven't mentioned it to Jerry yet... finding just the right time!

The best thing worst thing about having country property is that you have the resources available to you to "make" whatever you want, i.e. rocks, timber, even some plants. The reality of how much hard work making your own Shangri La is the only thing stopping us most of the time.

That, and flat land. When we lived in town I longed for a mountain, now that we live on a mountainside, I look at pictures like this and sigh... it's that

"Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side" thing!

I do want a Bottle Tree like Aunt B.'s

I need to ask her where she found her blue bottles...

For now this will have to satisfy me! Maybe I could help Old Man Winter pack his bags...