Homekeeping On The Farm...

Fresh Basil Pesto and Banana Nut Bread

After pruning (harvesting leaves) from my basil plants last week, the remaining plants exploded with more leaves. I'm sure the rain and lightning (which precipitates nitrogen) had something to do with that. It was time to take my second harvest and make more pesto. This time, I made seven more jars full.

The bananas that had ripened past where we will eat them in cereal were ready to make another loaf of banana nut bread, too.

Still Warm and Delicious

Two overripe bananas make for one large, tasty loaf. Handsome waits until it's "fashionably" cooled and then tests my latest batch. Another success.

A Little Light Reading

While I waited for the bread to bake, I pulled out two of my books to learn more about herb details, identification, and uses. I'm more interested now that I want to be growing my own. 

An Old Gift

This book was given to me by my father twenty years ago. I've always been interested in the outdoors, being a country girl at heart. He was a teacher, and during the summers, he taught outdoor summer science classes. I took those classes with him for a few summers.

We learned about edible plants and survival skills then, and in the decades following those classes, I've further embraced what I learned. He gave me this book in 1997. I got it out of the moving box that held my other gardening books to read again.

I've already found some of the plants mentioned in the book growing on our farm property. Who knows what else I'll find once I really start looking? Reading my books was a nice way to pass the time as I waited to take the bread out of the oven.

Afterward, Handsome and I mowed our lawn together. We bought a larger yard tractor when we first purchased this property, and then, when we moved north this spring, we decided to keep our smaller yard tractor, too. As a result, Handsome can mow the upper yard while I mow the lower yard (or vice versa). Things certainly go quicker when we use two mowers. We were finished in no time.

Cornish Saffron Bed

 

Tuesday night, I went to the public library in Fond du Lac to attend a demonstration. They have a monthly program called "Breads Around The World", and last night's program was for a Cornish Saffron Bread from Great Britain. 

 

After the demonstration each attendee received copies of Cornish recipes, and we were able to sample the finished bread. I found it quite tasty, and having all the ingredients here in my own kitchen, I made a batch yesterday afternoon.

 

One batch yields four small loaves (or one large one). This bread has a scone-like texture with a light saffron/lemon flavor, further enhanced with raisins and currants. I find it quite tasty. Handsome isn't quite so sure. lol

 

I'm having lunch with neighbors on Friday, so at least one loaf will be a gift to our hostess. I'll definitely be making more in the future.

 

A Rainy Sunset

 

Our day ended with a glorious sunset. The sky was a wonderful red, yellow and purple, and the clouds rained down through the colorful display. It was a perfect end to another perfect day at Hickory Hill Farm.