Hearty Salmon Salad

I always have a hard time taking the time to make a salad for myself. But, I'll always eat a salad that's made for me! No idea why. For whatever reason I enjoyed making this salad. It looks good, was easy to assemble, and tasted great!

Enjoy, Chris

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 8oz Salmon Filets
• 2 tbs. creole seasoning
• non-stick olive oil spray
• Box of Salad Greens
• 1 pint of Raspberries, rinsed
• 1 apple, sliced thin
• 1 cucumber, quartered and diced
• 1/4 red onion sliced thinly

Candied Pecan topping

• 1 c. pecans
• 3 tbs brown rice syrup (you could also use corn syrup)
• 1 tbs. coconut palm sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tbs. water

Salad dressing

• 3 tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs. lemon juice
• 1tsp. honey
• 1/4 canola oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Make the candied pecans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine the brown rice syrup, sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. Add a tbs. of water to thin the mixture. Add pecans and stir to coat. Spread on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, stir, then bake an additional 5 minutes. Let cool. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees.
3. Make dressing. Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, and honey. Gradually add oil whisking continuously. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Make Salmon. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with oil. Add Salmon and spray the top with oil. 

Who doesn't like a Sloppy Joe...

I made this for our girls when Becca was out of town. Immediate hit. Funnily enough Gracie has secretly wanted to buy a sloppy joe when they're served for school lunch. When she saw this at home she couldn't eat it fast enough!

Enjoy, Chris

Yields- 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 3/4 c chopped green pepper
• 1 tb tomato paste
• 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbs dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 medjool dates, pitted
• 2/3 cup water (reserved)
• potato rolls

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring continuously. Then add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain grease.
2. Over medium heat add green pepper, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, parsley, and salt. Mix well.
3. In a separate small pot bring 2/3 c water to a boil. Add the dates. Boil for a minute or until the dates are soft. Remove the dates from the pot (reserving the water for later).
4. Blitz the dates in a food processor. Add tomato sauce then tomato paste. Blend then add to beef mixture. Add 2-3 tbs reserved date water.
5. Heap a large spoonful onto a potato roll. Enjoy!

Turkey Chili!

This Turkey Chili has become a regular staple in our house during the colder months. It's very simple to throw together. I usually make a double batch because the chili tends to taste better when re-heated!

Enjoy, Chris

Yield 4-6 servings

Ingredients

•  2 tbs. olive oil
•  1 lb. ground turkey
•  1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 4 tbs. tomato paste
• 2 c. chicken stock
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes (I like the fire-roasted)
• 2 tbs. chile powder
• 2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 14 oz. can white northern beans, drained
• 1 14 oz. can black beans, drained
• 1 14 oz. can kidney beans, drained
• 1 tbs. salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

**Seasonal additions**

• 1 zucchini, finely diced
• 1 yellow squash, finely diced
• 1/2 each of a red, yellow, and orange peppers, finely diced
• 1/2 a butternut squash, diced

Instructions

1. Add the olive oil to a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook until soft (about 3-4 mins). Then add garlic and cook for another minute
2. Add the turkey, chile powder and cumin.  Cook until completely browned
3. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 mins. Stirring continuously.
4. Add the chicken stock, then all remaining ingredients. 
5. Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer for 60 mins.

Getting "The Barn" ready for Wedding's...............

Its been quite a while since I have had time to write about the progress at "The Barn."  The past couple of months have truly been a whirlwind.  We are at the point where all of the final details are coming together, but with Chris & I working full-time in addition to our new little budding business at "The Farm" we have had to call in a team of experts to help us.   As I had been traveling quite a bit for work, my husband called his parents who live in Tennessee and asked them to come help us on "The Farm" through Thanksgiving.  They joyfully accepted and have been living with us for the past  4 weeks and I cannot tell you how they have blessed our family during this time.  I am forever grateful for all that they are doing for us and our girls.

My mother-in-law, Wendy, is absolutely amazing, she has been helping us with the kids and so many of the household duties to keep "The Farm Bakery & Events" going.  What I love the most is when I came back from traveling for work, our girls turned into budding pianist's because they were actually practicing.  The girls enjoy coming home after school every day for afternoon tea with "Gran."  Its amazing what we can all accomplish with an extra set of hands, its allowed both Chris & I to be able to breathe.  

What my father-in-law did not realize was that I was secretly saving all of our old barn wood for him to make tables for our newly renovated barn, as well as a rustic arbor for ceremonies on "The Farm."  He is a master wood-worker and has made some amazing things for us in the past and I knew this would be an awesome project for him and a great way to re-use all of the old wood.  What I love about this, is that he was not sure that the wood was going to be re-usable, as he had never quite done anything like this, especially with such old wood.  Some of the pieces he used for these tables are close to 200 years old.  Well from the pictures, I hope you can see that these tables are coming along amazing.  He is still putting the finishing details on them, but I cannot wait to see these in "The Barn" for either the Bride & Groom's special table or even a beautiful display for a rustic dessert bar done on site from The Farm Bakery!  

There is much more to be done, "The Barn" is in the process of being stained and the electrical upgrade is occurring.  I will be really excited to see all of the interior Edison Bulb lighting that will give "The Barn" a special glow for our nighttime weddings.  This is truly a team effort here at "The Farm" between my Dad & Kara, our amazing bakers, baking almost everyday through thanksgiving and the team of people working on all of the other projects its only by God that we are all joyfully taking each next step.  

Many more updates and exciting things to come, stay tuned for more on "The Farm."

Blessings,

Chris & Becca 

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10