plans for preserving the harvest - 2015

I have been thinking a lot lately about the direction I would Iike to see this blog take in the future. I know I haven't been the best at keeping this space updated these last couple of years but oh how I love this place. Taking a quiet moment out from our busy life here on the farm to write and update has always felt so special to me and I cannot tell you how immensely passionate I am for this life I live out here in the country! Reading a new comment or hearing from readers always makes my day and I want to continue to inspire and share with you all as life continues here at Cosgrove Farms!

My hopes is to have the farmgirl diaries be a hub of farmlife inspiration for you. Whether it be posts about farm life in general, farming operations, the farmhouse, the farm garden, recipes and canning and of course the farms feathered and furry creatures! I would love to hear from you about what you would like to read about more often or even learn!!

This year I really want to preserve more of my own harvest here from the farm garden. I have been going through all of the new seed catalogues with excitement and planning up new plans for a new garden space (more on that soon!) and have been reading through all of the canning cookbooks I purchased in the last few years but have yet to actually preserve from. Then I thought well maybe I could blog about canning as well! But then I was feeling silly thinking, "well how can I write blog posts about canning when I barely put up much of my own?" Sure I make dill pickles every year and my homemade raspberry jam last Summer is still causing cravings..but what about preserving the rest of the harvest? So here's the deal. This year I am going to learn everything I can about putting up the garden..and I am going to share it all with you right here on the blog. Every failure and success..and hopefully there will be more success than not but hey, we've just got to start, right?

So last night I went through my books and marked out my favourite recipes using produce I know we will enjoy. I am not wasting my time on preserving things we won't eat..ain't nobody got time for that!! But what we do have time for are things like: dilly beans, pickled asparagus, vanilla-rhubarb jam with earl grey (!!), salsa, boozy canned peaches, pickled beets, tomato sauce, tomato juice..ack I am so excited!! Below are the cookbooks I will be preserving from (as seen above as well)

Personally, my favourite books are Canning for a new Generation and Food in Jars

My list above of things I will be attempting to make this Summer are recipes found in either of these.

I can't even tell you how excited I am for this year..so many exciting things planned for the horizon!!

Moist Banana Muffins with a Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

For me, Fall is all about nostalgia. I am not sure if its the excitement I had for buying new school supplies and meeting my friends that first day of class after a long summer off or if its the smell in the air as the world closes yet another seasonal door and drops its leaves off on the way out. Either way, Fall brings me comfort. When the wind starts to blow that familiar cool air in the evenings I turn to our kitchen, the hub of every home, and dream up comfort foods to get us through the cold nights that are sure to come. 

Nothing brings me as much pleasure as the sight of a home lit up from outside, heat swirling from the chimney as the furnace chugs along and then walking in, cheeks burning from the nip outside, to smell all the goodness emanating from the kitchen. Be it hearty stews, homemade soups or my very favourite..cinnamon and spice baking in the oven. If you are the same as me, then I believe you will enjoy this recipe for moist banana muffins with a cinnamon sugar topping. They are light and fluffy, super easy to whip up a batch and the smell that fills your home? Mmm, divine!

I try and always have bananas in our home, they are a daily staple in my diet but too often they go ripe on me and I am left mashing and freezing them. Don't get me wrong, we love banana loaf in our home but why not try something a little different this Fall? Trust me, you won't be disappointed!

Alright so lets get baking!! This recipe was given to me by my momma and we have been enjoying it for many years now. And now its your turn to heat up the oven and make some muffins for breakfast.

Banana Muffins

makes approx 18 muffins

3/4 Cup margarine, room temp

1 1/2 Cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 Cups mashed banana's (I used 3)

1 Tsp baking soda

1 Tsp baking powder

2 Cups flour

1 Tsp vanilla

Cream your margarine and brown sugar together before slowly adding the remaining ingredients in your mixer. Divide batter evenly amongst your muffin tins, 3/4 full. I used paper linings but you can also spray your pans well.

Topping

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle it generously overtop the muffin batter

Now pop those muffins in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes and wait for the smells of cinnamon and sugar to waft thru your home!

I find I enjoy a more moist muffin top so the 2nd day is better, after it has had a night to sit, covered.

Enjoy!!