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Farm Girl Cook'n

Nothing Fancy

Winter Blahs? 6 Ideas To Get Your Spring Mojo…

January 9, 2018 By Mary 11 Comments

The end of winter can really bring me down…the snow is often dirty and the days grey, this year the winter blahs have hit me far earlier than usual– we are barely into January.  I need spring, I need sun, and I need flowers.  However, I have found there are a few things I can do that help my mood and get me ready to hit the ground running. Here are 6 easy things you can… Read More

Filed Under: Appetizer, Ethnic Foods, Humor, Party, Recipe, Wellness, Winter Party Tagged With: crafts, DIY, family, farm, FOODIES, friends, Fruit, healthy, home, iowa, light, Luau, Mental Health, party, Paul Hollywood, pineapple, salads, Tiki Party, winter blaas

Tequila Lime Grilled Chicken for a Dinner for Two

August 8, 2017 By Mary 3 Comments

Last night my husband wanted Mexican for supper, but I was getting tired of the same old beef tacos and burritos — I wanted chicken and I wanted it grilled.  So we compromised — a grilled chicken taco salad. I didn’t have a recipe and really wasn’t in the mood to search through my cookbooks and online sites — so I punted.  A few weeks ago I made a Mexican Street Corn Salad that had… Read More

Filed Under: Ethnic Foods, Foodies, Main Dish, Recipe, Wellness Tagged With: chicken, Chipolte, dinner for two, easy, FOODIES, Grilled Chicken, Healthy recipes, Lime, Mexican, Mexican Cuisine, Recipe, Taco Salad, Tequilia, Wellness

Finding Julia Child in Paris….and crepes on every street corner!

July 5, 2017 By Mary 8 Comments

Julia Child is my food heroine.  We have so much in common — we are both a little awkward, late bloomers in life, have an obsession with butter and things fly when we are in the kitchen.   I loved Julia’s show “The French Chef” which PBS ran in reruns for years.  Her charm was that she just kept on going when things went wrong — she flubbed her flips, burned things, murdered lobsters and… Read More

Filed Under: Paris, Recipe, Travel Tagged With: bucket list, Chefs, Cookbooks, copper pots, Crepes, Farmers Markets, Fleamarkets, Food Markets, FOODIES, France, Julia Child, Kitchenware, Paris, Paul Hollywood, Recipe, seafood, street food, The Great British Bake Off

Vintage Betty Recipe: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

March 20, 2017 By Mary 15 Comments

After starting my Church Cookbook Series recently, my husband asked me to make what he said was his favorite cake — a Pineapple Upside-Down cake.  I thought for sure I would find the recipe in one of my church cookbooks, but I came up empty handed.  I was kind of surprised, but decided maybe it was either a little old fashion or too fussy for the Church Ladies.  My vintage 1961 Betty Crocker Cookbook came… Read More

Filed Under: Church Cookbook, Dessert, Vintage Recipe Tagged With: Betty Crocker, cake, cherries, church ladies, dish to pass, fruit dessert, Mom's recipe, Paul Hollywood, pineapple, pot-luck, sponge cake, Sweets, The Great British Bake Off

Church Cookbook Classics: Mary’s Swiss Steak

March 13, 2017 By Mary 4 Comments

It is a snowy Sunday afternoon in mid-March, my husband is asleep on the couch pretending to watch an old movie on TCM and I am having a glass of red wine and savoring the smell of Swiss Steak roasting in the oven.  (It IS after 5:00!) Winter has reminded us that March in Iowa is a big tease.  One minute it is 60 degrees and you are itching to get in the garden and… Read More

Filed Under: Beef, Church Cookbook, farm, Recipe Tagged With: crock-pot, easy, family, farm, FOODIES, oven meal, Recipe, round steak, steak, swiss steak, tomatoes, veggies

Happy Baking Accidents…Blueberry Coffee Cake Kind of Thing…

February 28, 2017 By Mary 8 Comments

Or Things That Turned Out Better Than Expected… It was 16 below this morning and after reading a Facebook post of a friend who was making coffee cake, I WANTED some, but I was not willing to drag my sorry self out for any missing ingredients.  People die in this weather! So the hunt began — digging through the cupboard, freezer and fridge!  I found a can of Pillsbury Blueberry biscuits  ​not yet out date (although that… Read More

Filed Under: Breads, Breakfast, Humor, Recipe Tagged With: Blueberries, Breakfast, butter, coffee cake, Dessert, FOODIES, Sweets

Cheats Puff Pastry Recipe from The Great British Baking Show

January 16, 2017 By Mary 12 Comments

The Farm Girl Attempts Cheats Rough Puff Pastry Recipe from The Great British Baking Show and It Works! I don’t know about you, but I adore The Great British Baking Show.  It is my favorite baking show of all time — the tent is gorgeous, the decor is totally charming, the contestants real and diverse, and the food looks to die for!  Everyone is nice to each other and helpful, unlike some of the other… Read More

Filed Under: Appetizer, Breads, Breakfast, Pastry, Recipe, The Great British Baking Show Tagged With: Cheater Puff Pastry, easy, Puff Pastry, Rough Puff

It’s Chili Time

November 20, 2016 By Mary 4 Comments

You’d think all chili would taste alike.  All the traditional red chilies have tomatoes, some kind of chili powder and beef.  Chili aficionados are appalled if you mention beans in the chili, but I personally  like my chili with beans.  Black beans, kidney beans and red beans — all of them…. So why do some chili’s taste like dishwater and some you want to lick the bowl?  It’s the spices– they are not all created… Read More

Filed Under: Beef, Main Dish, Recipe, Soup, Spice Tagged With: award winning, beans, beef, chili, contest, hamburger, Mexican, Recipe, spices, stew, supper, Tex-Mex, tomatoes

Wordless Wednesday – Butterfly

September 21, 2016 By Mary Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Butterfly, Flowers, Garden Tagged With: butterfly, butterfly garden, cone flower, tiger swallowtail

Date Night Fruit Crepes

August 16, 2016 By Mary 19 Comments

In an effort to impress me when we were first dating,  my husband, wowed me with these fruit crepes on one of our Friday night date nights.   I know he hates it when I say something he did was cute, but it was so cute and really won me over when he took out his Better Homes and Garden cookbook and turned it to the page with his hand marked note of “crepes”.  … Read More

Filed Under: Crepes, Dessert, French Cusine, Fruit, Garden, Recipe Tagged With: Bananas, Blueberries, Crepes, Dessert, Fresh Fruit, Strawberries, Sweets, Whipped Cream

Why Can’t I Just Throw It Away

July 22, 2016 By Mary 14 Comments

As I was getting ready for work the other morning, my husband, in a supportive and loving way — really it was — commented that maybe I could find room for one more bottle of shampoo in the shower.  I tossed an endearing gesture back at him and continued my morning rituals. It wasn’t until I was in the shower, looking at 6 bottles of shampoo and conditioner, that it hit me in the face… Read More

Filed Under: Home, Humor, Marriage, Midlife Tagged With: beauty products, funny, homelife, husband, midlife

Church Cookbook Classics: Purple Ribbon Cinnamon Bread

May 28, 2016 By Mary 3 Comments

In a desperate search for a 4-H food project for our county fair, my mother suggested I make my grandmother’s Cinnamon Bread recipe.  As a lazy teen, this seemed like a great idea — no trip to the store for special ingredients and it was easy to make.   Snap!  One less project to worry about for the fair.  No one was more surprised than me when the judges gave me a “Purple Grand Champion” ribbon!… Read More

Filed Under: Breads, Dessert, Recipe Tagged With: Bread, cinnamon, easy, quick bread

Rhubarb Crunch

Spring Means Rhubarb Season

April 16, 2016 By Mary Leave a Comment

It is spring in Iowa and nothing green will be appearing for several weeks, even so, I am already dreaming of rhubarb.  Rhubarb cake, rhubarb crisp, rhubarb jam, rhubarb pie, rhubarb wine all make up my version of sugar plum dreams. As a vintage cookbook collector, I spend hours pouring over cookbook pages, not only looking for  treasured recipes, but for fun.  Many are a greatly entertaining.  A couple of things I’ve noticed in my purusing… Read More

Filed Under: Dessert, Recipe, Snack Tagged With: Fruit, Recipe

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

January 28, 2021 By Mary 2 Comments

If you are looking for a quick, flavorful chicken recipe this is a great recipe to put into your dinner rotation.  I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but it is wonderful with any pieces you have and love.  It is also very forgiving so don’t worry about perfection — just toss it together and relax. I use a cast-iron pan to brown on top of the stove and finish in the oven, however, it can… Read More

Filed Under: Chicken, farm, Recipe Tagged With: chicken, easy recipe, fast dinner, fast supper, healthy, healthy meals, Healthy recipes, lemon, Quick, Rosemary

State Fair Blue Ribbon Bread and Butter Pickles

August 7, 2020 By Mary Leave a Comment

State Fair Blue Ribbon Bread and Butter Pickles Several years ago I had a bumper crop of cucumbers.  I decided I needed to find a pickle recipe I liked since Mom’s didn’t really bring back images of pickle love.    I started Googling recipes that had won at a state fair.   If I am going to spend the time, money, and effort to make something, I want to make sure I have the best… Read More

Filed Under: Eat Local, Foodies, Garden, Health, Home, homesteading, Pickles, Recipe Tagged With: Bread and Butter Pickles, cucumbers, Home cooking, Making Pickles, Pickles, recipes

America’s Test Kitchen Rustic Almost No-Knead Bread

April 17, 2020 By Mary 8 Comments

I’ve been making a lot of bread lately, stress baking, but also learning how to make different kinds of bread.  As a teacher in a past life, one of my goals with trying a variety of recipes is so that I can help others trying to stay at home not to need to make extra trips to the store for a loaf of bread.  I have been looking for recipes that work well for beginners,… Read More

Filed Under: Breads, Recipe, Social Distancing Tagged With: America's Test Kitchens, Bread, easy, FOODIES, homesteading, No-Knead Bread, Recipe, The Great British Bake Off

Social Distancing Recipe: Just In Time 10 Minute Jam

March 30, 2020 By Mary Leave a Comment

For the last few days — especially after I made biscuits, I’ve been wanting some jam.  I had used up all of the jam I made last summer from my raspberries.  After making my own lower-sugar jams even if I wanted to order it from the store — I’m spoiled and really don’t care for them anymore. One of the things about growing up in a family of 12 children is that you learn to… Read More

Filed Under: Church Cookbook, farm, Fruit, Garden, Recipe, Social Distancing Tagged With: Bread, butter, easy, family, farm, FOODIES, Fruit, fruit jam, garden, healthy, Healthy recipes, homesteading, jam, low-sugar jams, Recipe, The Great British Bake Off

Quick and Easy Corn Chowder

March 28, 2020 By Mary Leave a Comment

Originally I posted this Corn Chowder recipe as a way to use fresh corn which is so plentiful here in Iowa at the end of the summer.  However, the other day as I was thinking about recipes that would be easy to make from pantry and freezer items I realized this would be an easy and delicious choice. This recipe has been adapted from several church cookbooks in my vintage cookbook collection.  Because I like… Read More

Filed Under: Main Dish, Recipe, Social Distancing, Soup, Vegtables Tagged With: bacon, chowder, corn, garden, side-dish

I Just Need a Cracker….

March 23, 2020 By Mary Leave a Comment

I am fortunate, I have plenty of good food in my fridge, pantry, and freezer.  Living on the farm and just coming out of winter, you are used to stocking up in case you get stranded for days.  However, I have run low on one of my favorite snacks — CRACKERS.  I love all kinds of crackers, straight up, with cheese, peanut butter, bacon jam — whatever!  So the search was on to find some… Read More

Filed Under: family, Recipe, Social Distancing Tagged With: cheese, crackers, easy, FOODIES, goldfish crackers, healthy, herb crackers, herbs, homesteading, money-saving recipe, Recipe, Rosemary, Rosemary cracker, saltine crackers

Got 4 apples? You Can Make Apple Hand Pies…

March 21, 2020 By Mary 2 Comments

Do you know those 4 apples that have been rolling around in your fruit drawer in the fridge?  Yes, I’m sure you do.  They have been there for a while and no one seems to be interested in eating them fresh — they are still good, but maybe not as pretty as they were the day you brought them home.  Here is a great way to use them for a delicious treat while you are… Read More

Filed Under: Dessert, Recipe, Social Distancing Tagged With: apple hand pie, apple pie, Apples, budget, easy recipe, farm, FOODIES, Fruit, garden, hand pie, home, money-saving recipe, pastry, Pie, pie crust, social distancing

Breads You Can Make Without Yeast or Kneading

March 17, 2020 By Mary Leave a Comment

Many areas are finding grocery store shelves bare of bread and other items and many are homebound right now.  If you have a few common ingredients in your pantry you can easily make your own bread without yeast or kneading. If you have self-rising flour great, but if you don’t King Arthur has this simple recipe to make your own using All-Purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.  Homemade Self-Rising Flour. These breads are not only… Read More

Filed Under: Breads, Recipe, Social Distancing Tagged With: Beer bread, Bread, Irish Soda bread, Money-Saving Recipes, self-rising flour, social distancing

Veggie Soup

March 15, 2020 By Mary Leave a Comment

Are you and your family trying to stay healthy by doing some social distancing?  Maybe even struggling to find foods in your local grocery store.  You can make the most of what you have in your fridge, freezer, and pantry by making as much as possible from scratch.  New to some of you and old school to lots of others. It’s hard to know where to start, but my suggestion is to start with the… Read More

Filed Under: Foodies, Garden, Health, Herbs, Recipe, Social Distancing, Soup, Vegtables, Wellness Tagged With: cabbage, carrots, covid-19, diabetes, Exercise, Health, healthy, iowa, Iowa Food and Family Project, light, low-cal, skinny, social distancing, weight-loss, Wellness

No-Knead Rosemary Focaccia Bread from America’s Test Kitchen

January 12, 2020 By Mary 12 Comments

This is my all-time favorite recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. This Italian bread is so delicious you will have to hide it from your brother who will eat an entire loaf before your guests arrive! It is crunchy, salty, herby, and soft in the middle.  You can just eat it plain or it is really wonderful with goat cheese and bacon jam.  (recipe for another time). I make it up in advance and freeze in… Read More

Filed Under: Breads, Recipe Tagged With: Appetizer, baking, Bread, Italian Bread, No-Knead Bread, Tuscany

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Welcome to my blog!
I am an Iowa Farm girl who aspires to write a cookbook featuring vintage and favorite recipes from my family and friends. I'd like to bring you the art of cooking like your mother, grandmother, or whoever is your cooking inspiration.
Keep it simple and enjoy!
--Mary
Food Blogger, Travel Writer, Photographer, Computer Geek, & Gardener
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