The Adventures of the Reese's Pieces Gang

Our Saturdays are very full with activity. Usually we are working around the house or yard, playing games together, reading, and being a family. This spring it will get even busier as we start the garden, and learn how to care for our livestock.

Many Saturdays we only have 2 meals. A large brunch between 10 & 11 a.m. Our brunches usually include eggs in some form, potatoes in some form, and a bread in some form. Why no fruit?? Because fruit is our "snack" in the afternoon. Today I withheld the bread because we were having potatoes. Since a few in our family are working on loosing weight the potatoes were enough of a starch for brunch.

Today:
Brunch
Egg & Spinach Bake
Hasbrowns & red onions
Fresh Farm Milk

Dinner:
Creamy Potato Soup
Fresh Greens Salad
Homemade whole grain & flax bread

Recipes:
Egg & Spinach Bake
10 pastured organic eggs
1 cup Fresh Raw Milk with cream in it still (you could also use 1 c raw cream)
Onions
Peppers
Spinach
Cheese (swiss or a sharp cheddar are really nice)
Virgin Coconut Oil
10" skillet that is stove top and oven safe (cast iron or good quality stainless steel)If you do not have a skillet that is also oven safe you will have to do your sauteing in a pan then dump everything into a casserole or pie dish to bake in the oven.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Preheat skillet on Medium heat for a few minutes.
2. Chop onion of your choice (green, red, sweet vidallia, etc) and peppers if you like them. Today I used two green onions and about 1/4 of an organic green pepper (red would be pretty too).
3. Put a heaping tablespoon of Virgin Coconut oil in the skillet, melt and swish, then add onions & pepper sauteing until just soft (I don't like to over cook them). Add a heaping handful of sliced organic baby spinach and cook for only about 1 minute.
4. While onions & peppers are sauteing. In a bowl mix up your eggs, milk & grated cheese (about 1 cup of grated cheese). Add just a little sea salt (not much or it makes your eggs rubbery) and freshly ground pepper to taste.
5. After your spinach has sauted for just a minute spread it and the onion/pepper mix evenly over the bottom of the pan. Gently pour the egg mixture over the veggies.
6. Place pan in the oven for 10 minutes, if not fully set or golden crank the temp to 45 and cook for another 5 minutes or until golden.
Serve with homemade onion & potato hashbrowns and 1 cup of raw milk per person.

Potato Soup
3 stalks Celery
1 large Onion
bacon (1/2 pound)
1/4 - 1/2 cup dried chicken broth MSG & preservative FREE (see note below if you wish to use homemade stock)
2 1/2 -4 pounds of potatoes (red are wonderful because just scrub and use)
1 qt water
1 qt fresh milk
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley or 2 tbsp dried
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup raw organic butter or Virgin Coconut Oil (start with 1/2 & 1/2 then increase to full Virgin Coconut Oil as your family gets used to the coconut oil taste)
1 c raw organic heavy cream

1. Wash red potatoes and dice into bite size pieces. Cover with water in a pot and boil for about 10 minutes or until just soft cooked.
While potatoes are cooking:
1. Chop celery, onion, and dice raw bacon.
2. Place raw diced bacon in large stock pot and start to cook. After a few minutes add the celery and onion. Saute until bacon is crisp. Drain fat (especially if you are not using organic pastured bacon. If you are using organic pastured bacon then you can leave the fat because it is good for you!!)
3. Add to stock pot: water, milk, chicken broth powder, pepper, salt, parsley, and potatoes. Heat through but do NOT boil!!
4. In a skillet melt your butter/coconut oil. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
5. Whisk rue into pot of soup and cook until thickened. DO NOT BOIL!
6. Just before serving add 1 cup heavy cream.
7. Serve with fresh thinly sliced green onions and a small sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese if you want to be fancy!
CHEFS NOTE: If you are blessed to have a source for pastured organic chickens and you make your own broth from the bones, you can use 4 cups of that broth instead of the 4 cups of water w/ powdered chicken broth.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a very heavy and filling soup! I only allow my kids to have one serving of about 1 - 1 1/2 cups. We then serve it with salad and crackers or fresh bread.

Whole Wheat, Oat Bread

4 - 5 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (when I get to start using my grain mill I'll put in some recipes for "real" wheat, rye, and other types of bread items)
1 pkg active dry yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp from bulk yeast)
1 3/4 c water
1/3 cup sucanant or honey
3 tablespoons raw butter or virgin coconut oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup thick organic oats
2 tbsp organic flax meal

1. In a large mixing bowl (kitchen aid if you have it) stir together 2 cups flour and the years. In a sauce pan heat the water, sugar, oil/butter, and salt just until the butter/oil melts. Add water to dry mixture. Beat for 30 seconds then scrape bowl. Mix for another 3 minutes on high.
2. Add oats, flax meal and 1 cup flour. Mix well.
3. Slowly ad the remainder of the flour until you have a nice soft dough ball. Kneed for about 6 minutes in the kitchen aid or kneed by hand for 8 minutes adding flour as needed.
4. Remove dough from bowl and coat with virgin coconut oil. Put dough back in and cover with a clean towel. Place in a warm place until dough is doubled in size.
5. Punch down and divide the dough into two even lumps. Put on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes.
6. Shape each dough ball into a loaf and place in a coconut oil greased stoneware loaf pan. Lightly brush top of dough with coconut oil or olive oil.
7. Put pans somewhere warm until they are doubled in size. (takes about 1 - 1 1/2 hours)
8. Bake at 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until lightly golden and hollow sounding.

Happy Healthy Cooking!!