INGREDIENTS

1 FFF Natural Smoked Bone-In Ham (Our Hams are fully cooked)
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar
2-3 cups water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the whole ham flat side down on the baking dish and press whole cloves into the ham with 1 inch spacing.
3. Pack the top layer with patches of brown sugar.
4. Pour enough water in roasting pan; 1 inch depth. Then cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
5. Bake for 30 minutes until thoroughly heated.
6. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
7. Enjoy!

Last week we shared that one of the advantages of homesteading is having access to real, Whole Foods like raw milk. Dirt under our fingernails, sunshine on our faces, and unprocessed foods are the way God designed us to be happy and healthy. Another source of happiness is the butter that comes from the raw milk because there is nothing like biting into a piece of warm bread dripping with melted butter 😋 

We recently got another Jersey Milking Cow here at Family Friendly Farms (read about it all on our Storytime Blog!). While we don't have milk just yet - we're waiting for Little Daisy to calve - there were a few meals in the past that we absolutely LOVED making all the time with fresh milk from our previous dairy cow, LadyAt the time we also had blueberry bushes so we were getting fresh milk, fresh berries, and fresh eggs to make these deliciously hearty pancakes! With a house full of growing kids and young adults (both then AND now), these were a great option to keep everyone not only fed but full too!

What is buttermilk, though? In order to make butter, you need to separate the cream from the milk and basically "beat" the cream until butter curds begin to form (believe it or not you can accomplish this in the food processor - it saves SO much time!). Whatever liquid is left over after separating out the butter curds is called "buttermilk." This liquid can be a little sour or downright odd tasting if you try and drink a glass of it so this recipe was our solution so that everything got used up!

Don't worry if you don't have access to fresh buttermilk (or homegrown blueberries and eggs), this recipe is still delicious and healthy with ingredients from the store.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Blueberry Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

INGREDIENTS
• 1.5 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (not instant)
• 2 cups buttermilk (hopefully straight from the farm!)
• 3 eggs (you can tell farm fresh eggs by how yellow the yolk is)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 0.5 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup white flour (1.5 cups almond flour for gluten-free)
• 1 teaspoon each of baking power, baking soda, salt, & cinnamon
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• Milk or water to add until desired consistency (it can get thick)
• Butter or coconut oil for grilling
**sometimes we like to add chia seeds or protein powder for an extra punch — feel free to play with the recipe!

DIRECTIONS
1. Soak the oatmeal in the buttermilk overnight.
2. In the morning, combine all the wet ingredients and then one at a time add the dry ingredients, stirring fully between each item.
3. Carefully fold in the blueberries
4. Coat your griddle or pan with butter or coconut oil and pour your batter in at the sizes you want! The more oil the crispier the edges will be 😋
5. Serve with maple syrup, local honey, fresh jam, or more fruit!
**for meal prep place a square of parchment paper in between each pancake and stick in the freezer; when you’re ready just pop them in the toaster!

1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds
6 to 8 Green Onions
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Water
1 tablespoon Sugar
2 tablespoon Sesame Oil
2 teaspoons minced Fresh Ginger
2 cloves minced Garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients into bowl or ziplock bag. Defrost meat and place into marinade. Let sit for at least two hours. Cook on barbecue 10 minutes a side - low and slow! Remove and barbecue and let rest for a few minutes before eating. Enjoy!

Preferred Veggies
Beef Bottom Round Roast
1 cup Soy Sauce
5 tablespoons Honey
4 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
4 tablespoons Sesame Oil
4 tablespoons Brown Sugar
3 tablespoons Sesame Seeds
4 large cloves Minced Garlic
2.5 tablespoons Ginger

Combine all ingredients except roast and veggies. Cut roast into cubes and place in marinade. Let marinade for at least two hours, overnight for enhanced tenderness and flavor. Skewer marinated meat and veggies before placing on grill. Let cook eight minutes per side. Remove from grill and let rest a few minutes. Enjoy!

HONEY HAM GLAZE RECIPE
1 Whole Ham (5-7 Ibs)

Glaze:
2/3 cup honey
4 tablespoons Djon mustard
2 tablespoons water

Defrost ham and bring to room temperature, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Partially cut into ham about 1/2 inch in a criss-cross pattern across the back. Combine glaze ingredients in a pan on stove and drizzle half of glaze into the slices. 

Bake in oven for about 1 hr. Drizzle remainder of glaze over ham and bake for another 15 min. 

Serve hot for dinner or slice and save for sandwiches.

OVEN ROAST LAMB RECIPE
1 Leg of Lamb
8 cloves fresh garlic
4 sprig rosemary
1/3 cup olive oil 
Salt and Pepper (to taste)\

Potatoes:
10 small red potatoes
1 sprig rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Defrost Leg and bring to room temperature, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rub leg thoroughly with olive oil and rosemary, then cut small slits into leg and push cloves of garlic into the pockets. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top - amount subject to personal preference.

Toss potatoes, rosemary and olive oil in a bowl. Encircle the lamb leg with potatoes in the pan.

Cover the whole dish with foil and bake for 3 hours. Let rest fifteen minutes upon removal from oven.

BROCCOLI BEEF RECIPE

2 lbs Family Friendly Farms London Broil
1 medium yellow onion or 5 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp. finally chopped garlic
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 cubes of beef, chicken or vegetable bouillon
2 cup of water
4 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 lb. broccoli, pieces
1/2 cup frozen corn

Marinade:
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. thin soy sauce
4 tsp. vinegar, white or apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. Ground black pepper
2 tbsp. corn starch
2 tbsp. fresh ginger root, slivered or 1/2 tsp. dried ginger

1. Cut London Broil lengthwise (with grain of meat) into 3 equal strips each approximately 1 1/2" wide. Cut each strip across the grain into thin slices. Place in a bowl.
2. Peel off tough outer covering of broccoli stems, cut or break stems and flowerets into pieces.
3. Add marinade to ingredients to beef, (I didn't add salt.) mix well and marinade for 1 hour at room temperature.
4. Heat wok or large pan and add oil. Add chopped garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds over medium high heat (do not burn.) add beef and stir fry for 3-5 minutes over high heat. Add onions and 1 cup water, stir.
5. Add bouillon, rest of water and oyster sauce. Bring to a boil.
6. Add broccoli, stir and cover for 5 minutes on medium heat.
7. Add corn, stir. Bring to a boil and serve

Advance preparations: Steps 1-4 may be completed a few hours in advance and kept at room temperature.

Serving suggestions: Family Friendly Farms broccoli beef dish can be served as a single course or multi course meal. It can be spooned over rice (we like steamed Jasmine rice) and served as is or you can garnish with a fried egg, it is also good over noodles.

Enjoy!!!

FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS...

LONDON BROIL BEEF JERKY RECIPE

TERIYAKI MARINADE (Your Favorite Brand/Store-Bought)

OR 

TERIYAKI MARINADE (Make Your Own): 
1.5 cups soy sauce
8 tbs honey
7 tbs rice vinegar
6 tbs sesame oil
6 tbs brown sugar
5 tbs sesame seeds
6 large cloves minced garlic
4 tbs ginger powder

MEAT: 
4+lbs London Broil

For Meat: Defrost and slice in 1/8 inch thick pieces of whatever length desired and set aside in a bowl.

For Marinade: Add all ingredients in a pot and stir on medium heat on stove-top until all ingredients are blended thoroughly. 

Pour Marinade over Meat and combine well to make sure all of the Meat gets coated. Marinate for approximately an hour and a half. Stir the Meat around again. Marinate another hour and a half. 

Once the Meat is finished marinating, place a wire rack over a tinfoil covered cookie sheet and lay beef strips out. Place in preheated oven at 175 degrees. 

Cook for 3-4 hours or until meat is dry. 

FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS...

1. Defrost Family Friendly Farms Cross-Rib Roast to room temperature 
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
3. Place Roast in roasting pan
4. Add 1 cup of beef bullion on top, then drizzle over with olive oil and your favorite spices (This time we used Montreal steak seasoning, finishing salt, a teaspoon of black pepper, and a touch of rosemary). Then add chopped carrots, potatoes and onions.
5. Put in oven for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and roast for 45 minutes. 

6. Take out and let rest for 10 minutes
7. Slice and serve

8. ENJOY!!!

FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS...

FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS...

SLOW COOKED BEEF BRISKET: 

1. Defrost Beef Brisket to room temperature

2. You can use a crock pot or a Dutch oven (cast iron) add a bit of olive oil, or coconut oil (expeller press... no coconut flavor and it holds it's integrity when heated at higher temperatures!) Brown meat and then... 

3. Add beef bouillon, about 2 cups and your desired seasonings

4. Cook on low and walk away for 4-6 hours (the longer and lower the temperature, the better)!

5. Shred or cut thin and serve on bread with your favorite bbq sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, condiments etc.! 😋

Yummy!!! ENJOY!!!

FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS...