REMEMBER AT THE BOTTOM OF THESE POSTS, TO CLICK ON 'OLDER POSTS'!! We have pages of great recipes and activities going on out here!!

July...we have a wonderful new 'cookie' to bake! Stay-tuned for the recipe!

The cookie has no sugar, no flour, no eggs, no butter!  It is made with finely ground seeds, dried berries(that classes have been learning to do with fresh-picked fruit here on the farm!), oats...with the only 'sweet' being dark chocolate pieces : ).  It is very tasty, high protein, and carbs, excellent brain/muscle food for long days playing outside, camping, hikes.

Once every three monhs we celebrate student birthdays! All girls this time...Fairy Theme Party in the Barn!

The classes have about ten themes to choose from for birthday celebration Saturday once a month!  The class has no charge/fee, it is part of being a student here!  It is two hours long, enough time to create a craft, Fairies this time : ), put snacks together, cook something easy for the theme, sing, and even have a bit of fun with a few barn games : ).  Just sign up on the calendar if you are able to come in that Saturday!  Open for ALL ages!  'Oldies help Youngies'!

Badge Fun again this Summer!

We have a list of instructions that explain how each 'family' badge is earned!  Bring it in with a phone photo, or a drawing of it, with a short paragraph, and the chart here will be stamped next to your name!  We have a wall to display these fun family activities as well, choose if you want to display your family fun idea!  Earn all badges here plus some new surprises : )!

JULY SATURDAY(EARLY MORNING!) PANCAKE FEED! STUDENTS WILL BE COOKING UP FIVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PANCAKES FOR FAMILIES!

We are going to get creative here, past the basic pancake, although we will serve that up too!
Here is a 'sample' photo...lookin' tasty!

We will be also be using apples, strawberries, oranges, and a few other naturally sweet ingredients!

So, we want you all here before all the kiddos are off to their baseball or soccer games!  More info coming your way!

August End of Summer Family Luau! Food, music, firepits, contests, games!

All students and their families are invited to ONE BIG END OF SUMMER PARTY at the farm!  Invites are going home in next few weeks via classes, emails, blog, snail mail, we want you all here!

DAD'S...we need you...we will need help setting an in ground pit for...a PIG ROAST!  I will have a list of 'jobs', digging the pit, lining the pit, building the fire, wrapping the meat, loading the pit, and a crew to help in two-three hour time blocks to 'watch' the pig from 2am through 4pm!!

More info to follow, as well as deadline to RSVP!  Get your flowered shirts, flip flops, straw hats, and join all of us for a great early evening!

Strawberry Mojito Sorbet (Fruit-Juice Sweetened, Vegan, Raw, Paleo)

Is this the best use of fresh strawberries or what?!  FOUR ingredients, easy for the students...we made plenty in each class...with no leftovers!  Yum!

 Icy cool and refreshing!  We sat outside the barn(kitchen!)and enjoyed the summer sounds while enjoying our 'dessert'!  Remember...all our recipes are sent home in a cute booklet the students make over the course of the month!

• 1 c Pineapple Juice
• 1 Tbs Lime Juice
• 1 lb Frozen Strawberries
• 1 c Fresh Mint

Our 'family' of alpacas have been 'shorn'! Surprise 'wooly' classes coming in the Fall!

We loved these guys so much last year, that we added several more!  I do have to say that six are using our property as temporary 'renters', but we love them just the same!  See our new baby? : )

Canastitas Caprese (Open-faced Empanadas with Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella)

My Mexican heritage had me introducing some of the most delicious dishes possible!  The students loved these!  They are fairly easy to make, they all did a great job, and for most it was the first time using empanada shells : ).
ANOTHER FIVE INGREDIENT DISH!  Cherry tomatoes coming in from our student gardens, mozarella cheese, empanada shells, salt, and plenty of basil...from our garden!

Always teaching our little students about HEALTHY CHOICES! This is our main motto, as well as snacks in moderation!

Our students are beginning to understand what a 'Healthy Choice' means.  They are learning to make substitutions here then take this knowledge back home with them!  

Posters of this were given to all students.  Yes, we do occasionally bake desserts and teach about "AGAVE", honey, and prune substitutions without affecting the sweetness/taste.  In fact some groups in each class bake/cook with 'subs', then we do the Taste Test!

Picked Strawberries in our patch...then made an EASY Five-Ingredient Dessert!

We have been cooking quite healthy lately...thought we should add strawberries to a dessert this time!  FIVE, I repeat, FIVE ingredients is all that is needed, and most all ages can create this dessert...with mom being the 'helper' :)

No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake

serves 8 to 12

2 pounds fresh strawberries, washed
3 1/4 cups whipping cream, divided
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 sleeves (about 19 ounces, or 24 to 28 whole crackers) graham crackers
2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

Some of our veggies are starting to come up!

We pan roasted carrots, zucchini, potatoes, garlic, onions.  Sprinkled with Parmesan before putting in the oven!
The students really enjoy harvesting what they planted, AND creating a meal with these tasty healthy easy-to-grow vegetables : ).

Option to a Beef Burger!...SWEET TATER BLACK BEAN BURGERS!

yum.  plain and simple!

AS THE STUDENTS LEARN BACKYARD GARDENING, WE ALSO WANT THEM TO BE CREATIVE IN LEARNING TO COOK FAMILY MEALS WITH WHAT IS HARVESTED!

THIS RECIPE WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, AND WELL-LIKED BY 95% OF THE COWPOKE COOKS! (WE DID SUBSTITUTIONS OR REMOVED A VEGGIE HERE AND THERE, ONE GROUP ALSO OPTED TO PUT THE 'LESS-LIKED' VEGGIES IN A BLENDER SO THEY COULD 'NOT SEE IT', IN THE FOOD!  IT WORKED, AND THANKS TEAM FOR STILL GIVING SOMETHING NEW A TRY : ).

Ingredients ~~~
 

• 15oz black beans, drained + rinsed
• 3c cubed sweet tater, cooked + skin on [~1.5lbs]
• 1/2c frozen or fresh corn
• 2/3c finely chopped onion [1/2 medium onion]
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2c cooked quinoa
• 6T rolled oats, partially ground
• 2T sunflower seeds
• 1/2t salt
• black pepper
• 1t cumin
• 1t oregano
• 1/4t coriander
• 1t chili powder...we left this out!
• 1/4t cayenne [optional]...we left this out!
• 1T olive oil 

so healthy!  now to work on getting that photo posted  : )


 

Older students did some Blog hunting on iPads today! Here was a tip they thought we could use here! NIce choice!

How to Choose a Mango

We’re at the height of mango season! The sweetness of fresh, ripe mango adds a counterpoint to savory dishes and a bit of tropical flair to your cooking. Here are a few tips for selecting a luscious mango for use in salads, salsas, smoothies and more.

• Don’t rely on color as a reliable indicator of ripeness. Mangos come in many different hues, depending on the variety, so color isn’t the best way to judge ripeness.
• The mango should give slightly when gently squeezed, just as a ripe peach would. Avoid mushy fruit.
• Give the mango a whiff at the stem end. The aroma should be fruity and fragrant, not sour.

Keep in mind that a mango left out at room temperature will get sweeter and riper over the course of a few days, so it’s OK to choose firmer fruit at the market if you’re not planning to use it immediately.

Tomato Teepees everywhere!

 

Our tomatoes are taking off this Spring!  Wow! Our older students, 10 years and up, helped put together the teepees, to keep tomatoes growing UP! : )

Chicken Coops up and running!

We put these a bit out of the way, from Barn and house!  Planning on trying a few styles, this is the first one!

What dedicated students! Working Rain, Shine, Wind, Cold...but inside greenhouses!

 Zones 7-8 Garden and Garden Tips - Mar - April

So much information below!  These are some of the areas we covered over the Winter and Early Spring!

March

• Make second plantings of such quickly-maturing crops as turnips, mustard, and "spring onions."
• Thin plants when they are 2 to 3 inches tall to give the plants room to grow.
• Treat seed before planting or buy treated seed for protection against seed-borne diseases, seed decay, seedling "damping off" and soil insects such as seed-corn maggots.
• Early-planted crops may need a nitrogen side-dressing, particularly if the soil is cool. Place the fertilizer several inches to the side of the plants and water it in. A little fertilizer throughout the growing period is better than too much at one time.
• Before settling them in the garden, harden-off transplants - place them in their containers outdoors in a sheltered place a few days ahead of planting them.
• Get rows ready for "warm-season" vegetables to be planted during the last week of March or first week or two of April as weather permits.
• You might want to risk planting out a few of the more tender crops and keeping them covered during bad weather.
• Watch out for insects, especially cutworms, plant lice (aphids) and red spider mites.
• Put down mulch between rows to control weeds.

April

• Plant your choices of the following "warm-season" or "frost-tender" crops: beans (snap, pole and lima), cantaloupe, corn (sweet), cucumbers, field peas, peppers, squash, tomatoes and watermelon.
• Plant tall-growing crops such as okra, pole beans and corn on the north side of other vegetables to avoid shading. Plant two or more rows of corn for better pollination.
• Make a second planting within two to three weeks of the first planting of snap beans, corn and squash.
• Within three to four weeks of the first planting, plant more lima beans and corn. Remember: for better pollination, plant at least two or more rows.
• Be sure to plant enough vegetables for canning and freezing.
• Cultivate to control weeds and grass, to break crusty soil and to provide aeration.
• Maintain mulch between rows.
• For the crops planted earlier, side-dress as described above.
• Plant tender herbs.
• Remember: Do not work in your garden when the foliage is wet to avoid spreading diseases from one plant to another.

First ever Drawing Give-a-way!!

This kitchen item was donated to us, and we have several for the classes.  I though it would be fun to have a little competition, and give this to the winning 'family'!
All you have to do(there are sheets with info to take home)is a writing entry!

#1- What is this called, what does it do, what types of food preparation can be done with this kitchen item?
#2- What are some safety rules for your family while using this?
#3- Who might be the 'Wonder Woman' in your life?  Can be anyone!  Why is she special?
#4- Draw, color, get creative!, a picture of you(can include anyone you like in the picture!)using this kitchen tool!  Have fun, I love art!

Drawing held during next monthly Friday Family Night of cooking(and of course the line dancing demos by students!) and eating here in the barn!

Adding several 'stations' around the property buildings for pot planting!

Busy wet Spring!

By summer's end this will be fence high(or higher!)with many varieties of veggies, herbs, and flowers : )!

When it rains it pours! So we get creative with the gardening!

We tried our hand at miniature box gardens!  Students came up with creative themes the week before, then following week adults helped put them together!  Nice : ).

All ages of cowpokes will partake in Planting a Garden Series of Classes : ).

Planting a vegetable garden is a rewarding and healthy activity that will give your family great tasting food. Before we can plant seeds in our garden we will need to consider several things. Below are some things to consider that will help students get the most out of our garden!... 

Choosing the Vegetables

Adaptation

Days to Maturity

Pest Resistance - we are an organic farm

Size of vegetables

Storage 
Taste

Best spot in garden

Location

Sun and Shade

Drainage

Wind

We will Map our Gardens before planting!  

Fresh Ravioli ~ Lots of work but so worth it!

Our older students learned about Italian foods, then tried home-made noodles, and these delicious raviolis!  The students definitely surprised me with the outcome of this dish, as it is time-consuming and a precise method : ).

Easy soup recipe, and grilled cheese sandwiches made(and EATEN!) by students : )

On The Menu:  Tomato(basil)Soup! 

There is something so comforting about a home-cooked(Cowpoke Cooking too!) bowl of tomato soup - paired with a grilled cheese makes it even better.

Bon appétit everyone!

Winter Cold Frames are doing great!

Last Fall, Local High Schoolers built us a series of Cold Frames.  We practiced Winter Gardening...most everything is doing fantastic!

One way to beat cold weather is using a cold frame, which speeds seed germination and shelters plants from frost. The frame is a bottomless box, usually constructed from wood. The structure has a slanted, tight-fitting top made of old windows or other transparent materials such as plastic or fiberglass. Instructions will be sent home with all students, as all of them have learned about benefits : ).  Try these in your backyard!  Easier than you think to build!

Seven Layer Taco Cups...simple, fast, and delicious!

All ages made these without a hitch!  Only thing...we all wanted more!

Alternative sweetness to sugar! Valentine classes are keeping our barn full of happy children!

Alternative to sugar?  You bet!  Our cowpokes are learning several options with cooking without processed white sugar.  So far we have used Agave Nectar, honey, applesauce, stevia, and even raw unprocessed sugar.

Happy February! We have been busy!

We have had a terrific winter, with line dancing during our children's cooking classes!...well, while the foods are baking and cooking :).  We even had a 'fancy boot' contest!  The students were SOOO creative, we choose to give many awards  out.  Cowpoke Cooking Co. then donated 56 pair of collected used boots to an organization that 'retools' them and gives to people that could really benefit from these!  Awesome!  We decided to do this more than once a year, so be on the lookout for the next 'hunt around town for used boots'!