Rylee's First Birthday!
Rylee's First Birthday!
We paid for a structural inspection of the farm, and it was very, very disappointing but not unexpected.
Regardless of wether we decide to renovate (what we are hoping to do) or rebuilt, the addition has to go. The floor is uneven all along the addition not to mention that it's pulling away from the house and causing one of the foundation walls in the basement to bow. We are expecting to have to pay $50,000-$80,000 for the first major updates to the house to fix the structural issues. While we save, we will probably do some small things and get better prices of how much it would cost to do other large projects (e.g. replace sewer/plumbing, new roof, new windows, etc) or completely knock down and rebuild the house.
After the inspection, we rolled into Thanksgiving and Rylee's first birthday party. Sam made the first part of Rylee's gift. It's a height ruler to measure the kids' growth. I'll make sure to put the finished project picture up on the blog!
December 7th was Rylee's first birthday! We had a big party with family and friends, and I decided to go all out for the occasion. I made all new appetizers and three cakes! The party was on Saturday, and I had to start cooking Friday morning at 5 am (we had several appointments during the day on Thursday and Friday, so I had to get an early start) and 6:30 in the morning on Saturday in order to get everything done. It was a whirlwind of a weekend that ended with Sam and I having to get up absurdly early Monday morning to get on a plane and go to Oceanside, California to visit Uncle Bear and Aunt Rachel and vacation for a week.
Personally, I thought the food was delicious, so I'm going to do an odd post. Here's a list of everything I made and the recipe for it in case you want to get fancy at your next party, too. Mostly, this is for me so that I have the recipes for the future. Commence scrolling through the recipes to look at pictures!
First: Pastry Dough. Several of the dishes I made required pastry dough which, unfortunately, takes about five hours to make. Good thing that one batch goes a long way. I only had to make two.
PASTRY DOUGH
Ingredients:
2 cups bread flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 stick of cold butter; cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup of ice water; ice strained out
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 sticks of cold butter (for butter block); softened
Instructions:
Making the dough:
1. Mix the flours and the first stick of butter together in a bowl of a stand-up mixer. Mix with a paddle attachment for 1 minute or until there are no large chunks of butter visible. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl and break up large pieces with a spoon.
2. While running the paddle attachment on low speed, stream the ice water and vinegar a little at a time and continue mixing for about 1 minute until a rustic dough forms.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll into a ball. Cut an 'X' half way through the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Laminating:
1. Remove dough from fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. Working in an 'X', roll the dough out three times in one direction then three times in the other direction until you end up with a 12 inch square that is approximately 1/2 inch thick.
2. Take your softened butter and gently press it into the dough until you have spread it out into a 10 inch square in the center of the dough.
3. Fold the square in at the corners like an envelope and seal the edges so that no butter is exposed.
4. Roll the dough back out to a 12 inch square and then into a 10 x 18 inch rectangle that is approximately 1/2 inch thick.
5. Fold the dough into thirds so that you have one smaller rectangle with three layers. (Fold the left side over the center and then the right side over the center).
6. Using the rolling pin or the side of your hand, seal the seems of the rectangle.
7. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
8. Repeat laminating steps 4-7 five more times.
Notes:
To use, you will generally roll the dough out until it is 1/8 inch thick.
If not using within 24 hours, freeze the dough by rolling it out into a sheet that is 1/2-1 inch thick, wrapping tightly with plastic wrap so that it is air tight, and freezing. You can freeze for up to one month.
We made three appetizers using the pastry dough:
Ingredients:
2 cups bread flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 stick of cold butter; cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup of ice water; ice strained out
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 sticks of cold butter (for butter block); softened
Instructions:
Making the dough:
1. Mix the flours and the first stick of butter together in a bowl of a stand-up mixer. Mix with a paddle attachment for 1 minute or until there are no large chunks of butter visible. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl and break up large pieces with a spoon.
2. While running the paddle attachment on low speed, stream the ice water and vinegar a little at a time and continue mixing for about 1 minute until a rustic dough forms.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll into a ball. Cut an 'X' half way through the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Laminating:
1. Remove dough from fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. Working in an 'X', roll the dough out three times in one direction then three times in the other direction until you end up with a 12 inch square that is approximately 1/2 inch thick.
2. Take your softened butter and gently press it into the dough until you have spread it out into a 10 inch square in the center of the dough.
3. Fold the square in at the corners like an envelope and seal the edges so that no butter is exposed.
4. Roll the dough back out to a 12 inch square and then into a 10 x 18 inch rectangle that is approximately 1/2 inch thick.
5. Fold the dough into thirds so that you have one smaller rectangle with three layers. (Fold the left side over the center and then the right side over the center).
6. Using the rolling pin or the side of your hand, seal the seems of the rectangle.
7. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
8. Repeat laminating steps 4-7 five more times.
Notes:
To use, you will generally roll the dough out until it is 1/8 inch thick.
If not using within 24 hours, freeze the dough by rolling it out into a sheet that is 1/2-1 inch thick, wrapping tightly with plastic wrap so that it is air tight, and freezing. You can freeze for up to one month.
We made three appetizers using the pastry dough:
SAUSAGE PINWHEELS
Ingredients:
1 egg
1 pound pork sausage
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mustard powder
2 Tbs parsley
puff pastry
1 egg
1 pound pork sausage
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mustard powder
2 Tbs parsley
puff pastry
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix the egg, sausage, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, parsley, and mustard.
3. Roll the pastry dough out to 1/8 inch thick and cut into 4-5 inch strips.
4. Scoop the sausage into the middle of the pastry dough strips
roll until all the sausage is contained.
roll until all the sausage is contained.
5. Cut into 1 inch strips and place on baking sheets face down (so it looks like a cinnamon roll).
6. Optional: Brush with an egg wash (egg whites mixed with water)
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
APPLE ROSES
Ingredients:
1-2 apples
pastry dough
apple, plum, or apricot jelly
lemon juice diluted in water
Instructions:
1. Cut the apple slices as thin as possible. If you cut them too large, you won't be able to shape them later.
2. Put the apple slices in a bowl of water and lemon juice and heat on the stove or in the microwave for five minutes or until the slices bend
without breaking.
without breaking.
3. Roll the pastry dough out until 1/8 inch thick.
4. Cut the pastry dough into 2.5-3 inch wide strips. The longer the strip, the larger the apple roses are going to be.
5. Mix 2 tablespoon of jelly with 1 tablespoon of water and heat for one minute in the microwave.
6. Paint the jelly on the bottom half of the pastry strip.
7. Lay the apple slices on the top half of the pastry strip so that they are overlapping half of the previous slice side by side until there's no more bare pastry dough. The hump of the apple slices should be above the pastry dough.
8. Fold the bottom of the pastry dough strip up to cover the apples.
9. Roll the pastry strip up like a cinnamon roll and place into a greased muffin tin
10. Bake on 350 for 45-50 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
12. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar.
* If you accidentally make giant roses (and not very many) and need to share with a crowd, cut the apple roses into four pieces but smoosh together in the serving dish. This way, they still look like roses but people can take individual pieces.
PALMIER COOKIES
Ingredients:
Puff pastry
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
1. Roll the puff pastry to 1/8 inch thick rectangle. Aim for 10 x 18 inch rectangle.
2. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together.
3. Coat the top surface of the pastry with cinnamon sugar and Spread the cinnamon and sugar out over the pastry and lightly roll with rolling pin to stick it to the dough.
4. Flip the dough and repeat step 3.
5. Fold the sides to the middle.
6. Fold the sides to the middle once more, then gently press down to keep the dough from rolling.
7. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes.
8. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch slices.
9. Roll the dough in your hands so that it looks like a heart.
10. Dip the hearts in cinnamon sugar on both sides.
11. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart and bake on 400 for 14 minutes.
12. Flip the cookies over and bake for an additional 4 minutes.
The next big ticket item that I made that takes a lot of time is the French Baguette. To get the deliciously wonderful large holes in the bread, you have to let the dough rise in the fridge overnight.
PALMIER COOKIES
Ingredients:
Puff pastry
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
1. Roll the puff pastry to 1/8 inch thick rectangle. Aim for 10 x 18 inch rectangle.
2. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together.
3. Coat the top surface of the pastry with cinnamon sugar and Spread the cinnamon and sugar out over the pastry and lightly roll with rolling pin to stick it to the dough.
4. Flip the dough and repeat step 3.
5. Fold the sides to the middle.
6. Fold the sides to the middle once more, then gently press down to keep the dough from rolling.
7. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes.
8. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch slices.
9. Roll the dough in your hands so that it looks like a heart.
10. Dip the hearts in cinnamon sugar on both sides.
11. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart and bake on 400 for 14 minutes.
12. Flip the cookies over and bake for an additional 4 minutes.
The next big ticket item that I made that takes a lot of time is the French Baguette. To get the deliciously wonderful large holes in the bread, you have to let the dough rise in the fridge overnight.
FRENCH BAGUETTE
Ingredients:
500 g all purpose flour
360 g water
10 g salt
3 g yeast
1 Tbs honey
WHITE BEAN AND ROSEMARY CROSTINI
Ingredients:
1 can of white soup beans
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1-2 large garlic cloves
1/2 Tbs thyme
1/2 Tbs rosemary
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh rosemary sprig
baguette
Instructions:
White Bean Dip
1. Heat oil in pan, add spices, and sauté for 2 minutes or until the garlic is soft
2. Pour into a blender with the beans and red wine vinegar. Blend until creamy.
Crostini
1. Slice the baguettes to 1/2-1 inch thickness at an angle instead of perpendicular.
2. Toast the pieces on 350 for 10 minutes or until the pieces are stiff but not browned.
3. Scoop some of the white bean dip onto the crostini and top with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary.
We ate the leftover baguette loaf with a vinegar and oil dip.
1 can of white soup beans
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1-2 large garlic cloves
1/2 Tbs thyme
1/2 Tbs rosemary
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh rosemary sprig
baguette
Instructions:
White Bean Dip
1. Heat oil in pan, add spices, and sauté for 2 minutes or until the garlic is soft
2. Pour into a blender with the beans and red wine vinegar. Blend until creamy.
Crostini
1. Slice the baguettes to 1/2-1 inch thickness at an angle instead of perpendicular.
2. Toast the pieces on 350 for 10 minutes or until the pieces are stiff but not browned.
3. Scoop some of the white bean dip onto the crostini and top with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary.
CABERNET WINE VINEGAR DIP FOR BREAD
Ingredients:
Cabernet wine vinegar
Vegetable oil
Garlic clove
Black pepper
Oregano
Instructions:
1. Mix 2 parts oil with 1 part vinegar
2. Squeeze garlic through a garlic press to taste. Start with one clove and go up as needed. Mix.
3. Grind pepper over the top (mostly for looks, but also for taste)
4. Add oregano to taste
Lastly I made two adult size cakes and one mini cake for Rylee to eat. Rylee's cake was the spice cake. It was the same cake that I took to the hospital for the nurses when she was born.
CHOCOLATE CAKE
Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour - 2 TBS flour
2 TBS corn starch
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 Tbs vanilla
1 cup hot water
Icing
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
20 Tbs butter
3 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
Instructions:
Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare two round spring-form cake pans. To get the perfect, non-stick cake, put a tsp of butter in each pan, put down parchment paper, put another tsp of butter.
2. Mix the sugars, flour, corn starch, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix together the eggs, yolk, sour cream, milk, oil and vanilla.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring until just incorporated.
5. Add the cup of hot water and stir for about 1 more minute.
6. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Icing
1. Place the chocolate in a double boiler and stir until evenly melted. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar. If you don't want lumps in your frosting, sift the powdered sugar first.
3. Add in the vanilla and the melted chocolate.
SPICE CAKE AKA "YAY, RYLEE'S HERE! CAKE"
Ingredients:
3-4 sweet potatoes (want a 2 1/2 cup yield once mashed)
2 apples (want 1/2 cup yield once pureed)
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour - 3 Tbs flour
3 Tbs corn starch
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
5 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
3 sticks of butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
Instructions:
1. Boil peeled and diced sweet potato for five minutes then add the peeled and diced apples. Boil until both are soft. Puree in a blender until smooth.
2. Preheat the oven to 350*F and prepare two spring form cake pans as described in the recipe above.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
4. Cream the butter for 1 minute then add the sugars.
5. Add one egg at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Add vanilla along with apple and sweet potato mix.
7. Slowly add flour until just combined.
8. Divide the mixture between the two pans and bake for 50 minutes. Invert one cake onto the dab of frosting. Mix the ½ cup of chopped nuts with one cup of icing and smear over the top with an off set spatula.
Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour - 2 TBS flour
2 TBS corn starch
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 Tbs vanilla
1 cup hot water
Icing
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
20 Tbs butter
3 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
Instructions:
Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare two round spring-form cake pans. To get the perfect, non-stick cake, put a tsp of butter in each pan, put down parchment paper, put another tsp of butter.
2. Mix the sugars, flour, corn starch, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix together the eggs, yolk, sour cream, milk, oil and vanilla.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring until just incorporated.
5. Add the cup of hot water and stir for about 1 more minute.
6. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Icing
1. Place the chocolate in a double boiler and stir until evenly melted. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar. If you don't want lumps in your frosting, sift the powdered sugar first.
3. Add in the vanilla and the melted chocolate.
Ingredients:
3-4 sweet potatoes (want a 2 1/2 cup yield once mashed)
2 apples (want 1/2 cup yield once pureed)
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour - 3 Tbs flour
3 Tbs corn starch
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
5 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
3 sticks of butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
Instructions:
1. Boil peeled and diced sweet potato for five minutes then add the peeled and diced apples. Boil until both are soft. Puree in a blender until smooth.
2. Preheat the oven to 350*F and prepare two spring form cake pans as described in the recipe above.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
4. Cream the butter for 1 minute then add the sugars.
5. Add one egg at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Add vanilla along with apple and sweet potato mix.
7. Slowly add flour until just combined.
8. Divide the mixture between the two pans and bake for 50 minutes. Invert one cake onto the dab of frosting. Mix the ½ cup of chopped nuts with one cup of icing and smear over the top with an off set spatula.
*This cake recipe is best paired with a cinnamon buttercream icing, but I can't remember which one I used! I will update once I experiment some more to get the best one.
Pax Domini cum spirito tuo temper sit,
Pax Domini cum spirito tuo temper sit,
Torey, Sam & Rylee
Do you or someone you know live near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky?
Do you want to eat farm-fresh eggs from happy, healthy hens?
Check out our shop!
Do you or someone you know live near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky?
Do you want to eat farm-fresh eggs from happy, healthy hens?
Check out our shop!
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