Whether the weather be fine, Whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold, Whether the weather be hot, We'll weather the weather, Whatever the weather, Whether we like it or not. ~ Author Unknown | Taxes Can Be Taxing It's that time of year – taxes. If Martin seems a little distant and grumpy, don't take it personally. Taxes are taxing. While the weather was bitterly cold, the guys did indoor renovations. There's a time for everything. And physical labour is a nice break from taxes. The cold weather meant that the boiler used for the infloor heating in the store and Martin's house was working overtime. It was having an issue running properly, so Martin asked Mathijs to hit the reset button on it. While in the boiler house, Mathijs decided there was a mechanical problem to be solved. He made a note of all the specs for the unit and went to his computer to do some research. He came back to his dad with the problem being a dirty spark plug. When the plumbers assessed the problem, they made the same conclusion. The problem was fixed and eleven-year-old Mathijs moved up another notch in everyone's estimation that he is a genius. We're very thankful for this young man. | Benefits of Bone Broth Bone broth should be a staple in every kitchen. It is packed with nutrients, easy to digest, rich in flavor, and loaded with restorative amino acids. And it's not that hard to make. Some of the benefits of bone broth: • It is mineral-rich and very healing for the digestive system. • The minerals found in bone broth are very easily absorbed and utilized by the body, and essential for helping to make healthy bones and joints. • Potassium and sodium are two essential electrolytes abundant in bone broth that are essential for hydration and fluid balance, boosting the immune system. • Bone broth is a source of easy to absorb amino acids such as glycine and glutamine. Glutamine is one of the best amino acids to help heal the gut as it is a primary fuel source used by the intestinal lining. • It also contains amino acids essential for the formation of collagen which is why bone broth is touted for its anti-aging skincare properties. • It has several compounds that can improve the brain's functioning and mood. • Bone broth is a powerful detoxifier for several reasons - it helps the digestive system expel waste more efficiently; improves your liver's ability to filter toxins from the blood; contains glycine which stimulates the production of glutathione—known as the body's master antioxidant; glycine also protects the liver from becoming oxygen starved, or hypoxia; glutathione is also needed for the liver's detoxification process (phase II) which is important for preventing toxin accumulation. • Bone broth is a rich source of protein and minerals, but its greatest magic lies in its glycine content, increasing the ratio of glycine to methionine. Glycine is anti-inflammatory and improves insulin sensitivity, making bone broth a wonderful healing food. To help you have lots of bone broth on hand, we have our pasture-raised beef bones on sale. | New Product We've added another product to our selection of oven-fired baking…yeast-risen white sandwich bread! This fluffy tender bread is made with all organic ingredients, including Harvest Haven eggs. It's perfect for sandwiches of all kinds, French toast, bread pudding, poultry stuffing, and just enjoying with butter. Here's one of our favourite recipes. Cheese Toast 4 slices Harvest Haven sandwich bread
4 slices of your favourite cheese (cheddar, Swiss, Gruyere)
2 large Harvest Haven eggs
1/3 to 1/2 cup whole milk or part cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 apple, peeled, pared, and thinly sliced (optional)
Butter for frying Place two pieces of cheese on one slice of bread, as you would for making a grilled cheese sandwich. Lay sliced apple on the cheese. Top with second slice of bread. Beat eggs with milk, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Dip both sides of cheese and apple sandwich into the egg mixture. Heat skillet over medium low fire, add butter. When hot and butter is bubbly, gently lay in sandwich. Grill until lightly browned and flip over; continue grilling until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining 2 slices of bread and cheese. Serve hot with maple syrup. | Harvest Haven Italian Beef Sausage – Made with Harvest Haven Pastured Beef and aromatic Italian herbs, this fresh sausage makes a delicious start to the day or a savory dinner. Bioitalia Organic Navy Beans, 398 ml – Another quality Bioitalia product. Bioitalia sources only the finest beans and prepares them simply by just boiling them in salty water. Perfect for making more sophisticated recipes. Harvest Haven Russet Potatoes – The classic white potato, uniform and long, is perfect for mashing, baking, and French fries. Maison Orphee Fine Grey Sea Salt, 500 g – Grey sea salt owes its colour to the clay-bottom pans of salt marshes from which it is harvested after the evaporation of seawater by the combined action of the wind and sun. Extremely soluble, grey sea salt is an essential condiment in cooked food preparation. Use to enhance the flavour of roasts, slow cooked recipes, pasta and fish. Organic Bartlett Pears – Sweet, aromatic, and juicy. Just right for eating fresh, canning, or a lovely dessert. Simply Organic Vanilla Extract, 118 ml – Nothing but pure, organic vanilla extracted from premium Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans (Vanilla planifolia), with organic alcohol as the extracting agent and flavor carrier, and a little water as the liquid base. This is REAL vanilla. Warm, drool-worthy aroma. Deep amber color. Rich flavor so smooth and naturally sweet. | Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic. | Italian Sausage Soup 2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb Harvest Haven Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large Harvest Haven onion, diced to ˝"
3 medium Harvest Haven carrots, peeled, halved and sliced
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 cloves Harvest Haven garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 398 mL can Bioitalia navy beans, with canning liquid
1 398mL can diced tomatoes
˝ tsp cracked black pepper
˝ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
3 cups Harvest Haven beef bone broth
1 sprig fresh thyme
˝ – 1 tsp sea salt, if needed
chopped parsley, for garnish Place a dutch oven over medium-high heat; add olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the sausage to the pot and break into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add onion, carrots and celery to the pot. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are soft, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and Italian seasoning and cook 1 minute more, stirring continuously. Add the can of white beans (including the canning liquid) along with the diced tomatoes and three cups of broth. Season with cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using), but hold the salt until the end. Stir to combine and top with thyme bundle. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 10-15 minutes until the flavors meld. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt or pepper if needed. Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately. | Potato Rolls 6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
4 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mashed potatoes - lightly packed (about 1 large russet)
2 Harvest Haven eggs Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F, when it reaches that temperature, turn it OFF (you want your oven to be warm but not hot). In a small saucepan, add the butter, milk, and water. Heat on the stove until the mixture is warm and the butter is mostly melted. It should be at or above 115 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Make sure the butter is fully melted by stirring every minute. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix on low for 15 seconds. Once the warm liquid mixture reaches 110 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, add along with the mashed potatoes and eggs. With mixing speed on low, mix until a soft dough forms, then switch to the dough hook and set on the lowest mixing setting for 4 minutes. The dough will seem very tacky. Transfer to a large, clean bowl. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and place into the warm oven to rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Just be sure to check on it at the 30 minute mark to monitor the progress. Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from the oven and punch it down. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and cut it into 15 equal pieces using a bench scraper or butter knife. You can use a kitchen scale to ensure accuracy if desired. Roll into circles and place into a well-buttered 9x13 metal baking pan. Dust with excess flour to prevent the plastic wrap or towel from sticking. Cover with a clean towel and return to the oven to rise again. Allow rolls to double in size, about 45 minutes. The sides should be touching. Remove the rolls from the oven, and turn ON your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until deep golden brown in color. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before pulling apart. | Pear Streusel Cake For the cake: 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 Harvest Haven eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature (full fat is best)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter for greasing the cake pan
3-4 fresh pears, peeled and thinly sliced For the streusel topping: 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white sugar
4 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Add the butter and the sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat them together until the mixture is fluffy and becomes a pale colour (about 4-5 minutes). It's important that the butter is at room temperature before you begin. This will allow it to integrate properly with the other wet ingredients.
Feel free to use a hand mixer and large mixing bowl if you prefer. Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat them in on medium speed until the mixture is smooth. It's a good idea to scrape down the bowl periodically to make sure everything is incorporated evenly. Add the milk and sour cream and beat in these ingredients on low speed until they're combined. To a separate bowl add the flour, the baking powder and the salt and mix these ingredients together with a fork or a wire whisk. Once they're all incorporated, dump the flour mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer with the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and watch the batter come together. As soon as you see the batter form with streaks of flour throughout, turn off the mixer and remove the bowl. Over-mixing at this stage can cause an overly dense and dry cake with large air bubbles, which you definitely don't want. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl by hand and gently fold in the remaining flour. Be sure to stop folding as soon as everything is combined. Grease a 9x13 rectangular glass cake pan with some butter and pour the batter into the pan, using the spatula to push the batter into the corners and even out the surface. Don't worry, the batter will seem thick but it's supposed to be like that. Spread the sliced pears over the top of the batter. In a clean bowl mix together the flour, sugar and cinnamon for the streusel topping. Add in the melted butter and mix everything together with a fork until the mixture becomes crumbly. Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the cake and the pears, making sure to spread it as evenly as possible and into all the corners. Bake the cake at 350 degrees F for 47-50 minutes. When it's finished baking the topping will be slightly browned on top and when you insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake it will come out clean. Try to let the cake cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it...if you can wait that long! | Life's A Road Victor was given this song in 1976 when we were ministering to inmates in the Prince Albert Correctional. It was a moving experience for all involved. The song was arranged and produced by John Capek, and engineered and mastered by Bruce Dees of Nashville, Tennessee, working with the world's best musicians. Our son, Jonathan filmed the video along the Old Man River near Fort Macleod last fall. | |
