Farm Food - Blackberry Chicken

I fell in love with a dish at a cute little restaurant near Pittsburgh and have been thinking about it for over a year. I tried googling for something similar but none matched what I devoured that memorable evening. I did successfully find a good blackberry sauce on About.com Southern Food that wasn't for dessert or ice cream. By the way, spring is here at the farm for sure. There are several robins in our backyard, the geese are honking and fighting for territory down at the river, and a fat groundhog just scrambled down the hill towards her den. (Had to get Nugget in from the drizzling rain) Back to blackberries...

Blackberry Chicken

Ingredients

3 medium or 2 large chicken breasts

1 cup + Flour

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp Bell's seasoning

Sauce

1 1/2 c blackberries plus more for garnish

1T butter

1/2 c finely chopped onion

1/2 c Cab, Pinot, or your fave dry red wine

1 T lemon juice

4 T blackberry jam or preserves (seedless)

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1T butter (optional)

Pound the chicken between parchment paper to flatten for faster and even cooking.

Begin getting your saute pan hot with 2 T butter.

Beat two eggs in separate wide bowl.

Put flour in another separate dish and add Bell's seasoning (very popular in New England...go to Vermont Country Store) salt and pepper.Dip the chicken in the egg several times and then immediately cover with seasoned flour.

Carefully place chicken breasts in saute pan and cover. Turn in about 7 minutes depending upon how hot your pan is...not too hot. Overdone chicken is unpalatable. Cover chicken to maintain warmth after removing from pan.

In the meantime...make the Blackberry and Red Wine Sauce

Put blackberries in food processor or blender and puree. Force berries through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1 T butter in saute pan or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and saute for about 10 minutes until tender and light yellow in color. Add red wine and lemon juice. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer until reduced by half. Combine blackberry pulp, jam (I used All Fruit) pepper and salt. Add to wine mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining butter if desired. Pour over golden chicken breasts and add fresh berries for garnish.

The good husband who is very picky has approved this dish! I asked over and over again and he has assured me that he likes it!

Sunday Leftovers

Early morning snow last Wednesday, melted by noon.

Any corn left?

Pretty Callie

Beautiful Brownie and her 'brood'.

Ummmm, corn feast in the deer yard!

I was eating peacefully...


...then suddenly I am being challenged!

Ok, I am backing down, stop following me.

Big Bird Bully!

I love our new door!

Let me in you big brat cat!

Grammie's Old Fashioned Gingerbread

I have been so good for the past few days not eating sweets and I even lost a couple of pounds...but, the old nasty rainy day got to me. Perfect excuse for baking! My grandmother, Gertrude, daughter of Great Grammie Fred, was wonderful in the kitchen. I only have a few of her recipes but hope to find more soon. You can see Grammie by scrolling down to the bottom and clicking on Floyd Fuller, Vermont's Legendary Horseman, or by clicking this phrase. Check out Great Grammie while you are at it, I am sure most of Gertrude's recipes come from this neat lady. I am a lucky girl!

Grammie's Old Fashioned Gingerbread

Begin with 'almost' a stick (1/2 cup) of butter... I cut off a tablespoon

1 cup white sugar, blend after each ingredient

Add 2 eggs, then add 1/2 c Brer Rabbit molasses

In sifter: add 2 c pastry flour (I used all purpose), 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon

Boil 1 cup water

Alternate, adding the sifted dry ingredients then some boiling hot water to the molasses mixture.

This will be a thin batter, pour into greased cake pan... I use a glass 11x7 pan. 350 oven but if using glass decrease to 325 for about 35-40 minutes.

So light, so delicious with whipped cream, and ummm, such old fashioned goodness.

Leaving the Farm for a Veterinarian Visit

Our dear Nugget has been limping for the past two days and is not willing to climb the seven steps that lead up to the back porch. Thinking he and Coty played too hard during the warm spell, I thought it best to confine him to his 'recovery pen' in order to prevent him from lying on hard surfaces and allow for rest. He has arthritis. He also had a major TTA surgery last May on his left hind. He began toe touching on the improved leg so the thick carpet along with the large memory foam bed with no Coty attacks should prove beneficial. Nugget is only 6 years old.

We traveled about 45 minutes to an orthopaedic surgeon who has performed this same surgery and I figured he would be most familiar with post operative issues (wasn't aware of him last May, otherwise we would not have used MedVet in Columbus, OH). He is an awesome vet. Good with Nugget of course, but good with me and has a most precious skill...patience with the animal parent. He is willing to take the time to teach. Here is what I learned which might surprise you should you own a large breed dog.

The torn ligament is called the cruciate ligament. Visualize a piece of twine and you know how twine is comprised of many skinny fibers. Well, this ligament has the same features and due mostly to genetic defects in large breeds, especially Goldens, these 'fibers' tear. Other causes are due to the extreme rate of growth during puppy hood, and being overweight once grown. Nugget came to us as a stray teenager and was not overweight, but as soon as he was 'cut', then he ballooned! He has since lost weight but I was told another 10 pounds should come off. Wow...he barely eats much food as it is and is on Purina diet kibble. He eats the same amount as his brothers and sister. He weighs 80 pounds.

The 'pictures' came out fine. The metal 'hinge' is in place as are the screws, and wouldn't you know, Nugget bounced around looking much improved but to the skilled eye, lameness is evident.

There are 4 suggestions that would improve his condition: diet, exercise, nutracueticals, and anti-inflammatories. The first three are fine with me but Rymadil and its cousins are not. Until I can be assured that no liver nor kidney damage will result from regular use, then I do not feel comfortable in making that decision for this wonderful animal. Another interesting bit of info is that fish oil is known for its anti-inflammatory properties in dogs also, so I will get those capsules. Hopefully they will be mercury free. Nugget is already on a chrondrotin, glucosomine and msm supplement. I am a big believer in Adequan as I saw wonderful results when I evented with Jessie so I will begin those shots, once a week for 4 weeks, then once a month thereafter, and it can be done subcutaneously instead of IM as in horses. Good, less pain for my baby!

FYI...

Greyhounds never get cruciate disease.
In the past ten years, cruciate disease has surpassed hip dysplasia in diagnosis.
Adequan for horses is cheaper than Adequan for dogs and bottled in the same identical strength.
Adequan for dogs has an additive in it allowing for longer shelf life.

Novartis owns the rights to sell Adequan for dogs from Luitpold who makes Adequan.

Nugget is a full blooded Golden Retriever. The neighbor across the road purchased him from a local breeder, still has his papers, but chose not to keep him. Nugget was allowed to run free and would arrive daily at our farm to play with big Black Jack and Little Bear. He loved Pokey (Devil Dog) too, but thankfully chose to live with us. We love our Nuggie! This morning Nugget seemed much improved and trotted to the door. Still cautious, I allowed for no lying on the cold hard snowy ground (yes, we got an inch last night) and asked for him to come in the front door with only 4 wide steps. Late morning is nap time, and all the babies are peacefully dozing, except teenage Tiger and patient LaQuinta.