Christmas at the brook

As Christmas draws near, here at the brook we are getting ready for a festive holiday. The snow came down today and will continue thru Christmas eve. So when I am not outside plowing snow so we can get down to the barn, I am working on getting some cookies made.

My mother sent me up some fresh pecans from Alabama this year, so I am putting them to good use in making some pecan tassies.

Pecan Tassies


INGREDIENTS:
2 cups margarine
4 (3 ounce) packages cream
cheese
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.
In a medium bowl, mix together the margarine and cream cheese until well blended. Beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, until the mixture forms a smooth dough. Roll into small balls, and press into the bottoms and sides of tart pans or mini muffin pans.
3.
In another bowl, mix together the eggs, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the pecans. Use a spoon to fill each of the crusts 2/3 full with the filling mixture.
4.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, until shell is light brown, and the filling has puffed up. Cool, and carefully remove from pans.

We also love this Italian cookie. I remember these from when I was a kid. A friend of the family always made these.

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookie


2 cups butter
4 cups milk
12 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Grease cookie sheets.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and milk. Cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in the milk mixture by hand until the dough is firm and not tacky. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place onto the prepared cookie sheets. These cookies do not spread much, so you can place them fairly close together.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks. Glaze with a thin confectioners' icing when cool to preserve freshness.

The next cookie is one I had on a trip to Scandinavia. I was staying with the Andersson family this was made as a treat. I begged the recipe to bring home and it has been a favorite to make each year at Christmas.

Chocolad Pinar

2 cubes butter - 1/2 pound, softened
1 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
2 3/4 cup flour
Chopped almonds (for topping)

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees.
Get out an ungreased cookie sheet.

Mix butter and sugar. Add 1 egg and beat(or beat egg first then add to butter - I am too lazy to do this and adding it directly works fine.)In a second bowl, mix cocoa powder, baking powder and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Stir the dry mixture into the butter mixture. Mix well. Divide dough into 6 parts. Roll out each section to 1" wide by however long your baking sheet is.. After you roll, the dough, 3 rolled sections should fit on a normal sized baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg ( this is where you use the second egg) and sprinkle with powdered sugar and chopped almonds.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

Cool on sheet slightly. Slice each portion of dough into individual cookies; cutting on a slight angle makes em look nice.

Ice Storm at the Brook

Rain and then cold and snow has covered us with ice. The generators are up and running and all is well. There will be lots of clean up, as the ice on the trees has caused some major damage. The loud cracking of wood could be heard throughout the night. Trees and tree limbs are everywhere. The horses are staying in the barn. It is too dangerous to let them out on the ice or any place a limb may fall. Inside we are warm and safe. The generator is hooked to the freezer and refrigerator and all necessary appliances are working. So even in this storm life is good.

Pouring candles

Today is going to be cold and a mix of rain and snow. This is a good day to finish up candles I am making as Christmas gifts. I use soy wax and for this pour will be using containers. I purchase most of my supplies from Candles and Supplies located in Quakertown, PA. http://newcart.candlesandsupplies.com/Store/Products/Candles/Home/Default.aspx I have had good results with products purchased there, but just a quick look on the web and you can find many suppliers who are also reputable.

I will using the soy wax. It is clean burning and comes in flakes by the pound. It has a lower melting point and some people even microwave it to melt it.

The soy candle making equipment needed to make soy candles is very basic and you won't have to spend a fortune on supplies. You probably have most of what you need in your kitchen already.

First, you need something to melt the soy wax in. A double boiler is the safest and most effective method for melting wax. Since it uses indirect heat, you won't have to worry about burning the wax. Double boilers are easy to find, and are relatively inexpensive. If you already have one, you can use it to melt your soy wax. You may, however, want to purchase an extra one just for your soy candle making.

The second piece of soy candle making equipment you need is a thermometer. A candy thermometer works best. Since the soy wax melts quickly, you will need to monitor the temperature of the melting soy wax to ensure it doesn't get too hot. Fragrance can be lost to evaporation if it takes a long time for the soy candle to cool. Candy thermometers can usually be purchased at any store that sells kitchen equipment.

Third, you need a vessel to pour the melted wax into the molds. I use a melt pot as shown above.

The following materials are required for making soy candles:
1 pound of soy wax
1 mason jar
1 ounce of fragrance oil
Wax dye
1 cotton wick, for example HTP-105
Soy wax can be found in block and in flake form. The flake form is easier to use.

Using your own mix of fragrances is the secret to make your own special scented soy candles. When buying fragrances, make sure that they are compatible with soy wax. On average you will need one 1 fl ounce of fragrance oil to scent 16 ounces of soy wax.

Dyes come in a different forms. There are dye blocks which made of wax and can be melted with you soy wax. Other forms are concentrated liquids and dye chips.

There are many types of containers, which you can use. You can use a simple Jason jar if you like a country look. Containers for soy candles should be clean, dry and at room temperature. There is is no need to preheat the container.

Put the soy wax in a pan and slowly heat on medium fire until the soy wax is completely melted. Remove from heat. Add the fragrance oil and stir until all the fragrance oil is absorbed in the soy wax. Optionally you can add wax dye according to instructions on label. At this point I let the wax sit till it becomes cloudy. Give it a good stir then pour the melted soy wax gently into the jar and position the wick in the center. Use a clothespin or pencil to keep your wick in the center. When the wax has turned solid you can trim the wick to 1/2 inch.

Winter at the brook

Getting prepared for winter also means to prepare the horses for the cold. Here in upstate New York the winters can be harsh. Here are some tips to insure your horses are prepared.

Adjust Feeding Programs: As pasture quality or accessibility declines consider increasing hay and concentrates.

Help Horses Keep Warm: Horses kept outside need to eat more fodder. Horses produce a lot of heat during digestion. A generous supply of hay helps keep the horse’s internal furnace stoked.

Add Minerals: If your feeding program does not include a mineral supplement consider adding one.

Have Teeth Checked: Make sure your horse’s or pony’s teeth are looked after by an equine dentist. The inability to grind food properly will prevent a horse from getting all of the nutrients and energy it needs--especially if energy needs increase during colder weather.

Prevent Snowballs: If snow packs into your horse’s hooves try smearing the bottom with petroleum jelly.

If You Ride Frequently: Drying a horse out after a workout is difficult. Consider clipping a heavy hair coat. A clipped horse, without natural insulation, will require stabling and blanketing to keep warm.

Add Insulation: Consider blanketing during wet, very windy, or frigid weather. A wet coat looses its loft--like a wet down jacket, and won’t hold body heat. Windy weather pulls warmth away. Some horses are comfortable during very cold weather; some will be more comfortable in a warm winter blanket.

Provide Shelter: Even if your horses are stabled over night, provide them with a windbreak or shelter especially if you are away most of the day.

Banish Bots: Plan to deworm after the first heavy frost. Use a wormer that includes medication to kill bot larvae.

Continue Deworming: Continue a regular deworming program throughout the winter months.

Don't Let Hooves Get Overgrown: Keep you horse’s hooves clipped. Clipped hooves will chip less, hold less snow, and will provide a bit more grip on slippery ground