Where am I Looking

I think everybody has their own special sites and blogs that they follow.  Here are two sites that I have been following for simply years.

The first is a Baking Accessory site that I adore.  I first found them in what I am pretty sure was a Martha Stewart magazine but could have been Country Living.  It was the Christmas edition and it had a back part that flipped over.  I saw kitchen bakers twine and had to have some of my own!  I bought red/white and tan/white from Layer Cake Shop.  That was about three years ago and since then I have enjoyed finding unique and vintage items for cakes and cupcakes, flavorings and colors for icing and I have especially enjoyed the fun twist ties and have used them for one million and a half uses.  Their products are at such a reasonable price and shipping and service is fast and friendly.  Sometimes I like to visit just to look around and get inspiration.  Thanks Gals! 

One of my many home decorating websites that I like to visit is PapaStour.  This site I also found in a magazine where they were featured.  The company is compiled of artists from Scotland and they are based out of Scotland.  I desperately want one of their deerskins and love these teeny baby booties.  When I need a different sense of decorating and need inspiration this is definately one place that I turn.



Country Ham Cookin 101

I don't really know what the 101 means but I think it's basically "how's it's done."

As you should know, because I believe country ham is sold in all parts of the country and if it isn't it should be, country ham can be bought by the whole ham or by the slice or slices.  Around here you are likely to come across one maybe around Christmas because people like to give the hams as corporate gifts.  But here at our house... we grow 'em ourselves.  Not all of them of course but as you already may know from previous posts, the part of the pigs that we raised over summer 2011 were smoked in order for us to get bacon, hog jawl, lard and country ham. 

Here is a sample of the easiest and best way to cook up a slice at our house.

Take the slice of country ham and trim the fat.  Be sure and leave some of the healthy fat on there mainly because you don't want it to stick.  Discard the fat and cut the ham slice in to several slices, cutting around and discarding the bone.   Please pieces in a skillet and cover with water.  Bring water to a boil over medium heat.  This will kind of soak the salt out of the ham.  Don't skip this step even if you are a lover of salt like my sister that licks her finger to pick up the left over salt at the bottom of her popcorn bowl.  Boil just for a few minutes until the meat turns a bit whitish looking.  Drain water in to sink.  Put skillet back on the burner and cook ham on each side until brown and yummy pressing down on the pieces with your spatula so they don't curl.  Take off when done and put on a paper towel to absorb grease if any.  Place on a hot biscuit with cheese and egg.  Perfect country breakfast... or supper!

Y'all ready for this?

 This photo is by Shaun.

 Oh my.

 The be Texas Pete hot sauce.  Just a dab.  I think it's smiling at you!

 On work mornings I use the frozen kind.  Pillsbury.  Good as Ms. Winners.

 As Shaun would say "now that's a six dollar biscuit!" 

 DANG IT!  I can't wait until breakfast!

Now wipe your mouth and go get some country ham.  

Give Away Time

This Christmas, same as last Christmas, I had calendars made with my lovely photography of life here on our farm for my Mother and sisters.  I normally order enough to give to other family members and friends too.  This year I ordered them good and early but I ordered them from a different company than I did last year.  Big mistake.  When I got the calendars they were not good quality, my pictures looked big time enhanced and you couldn't even write on them without the ink going through.  Luckily, the place I ordered them from gave me a full refund and I will continue to order some things from them, just not calendars.

I turned around and ordered my calendars from a source that I knew had good, thick, quality products which is Lulu.  Christmas was on Sunday this year and my calendars arrived on Friday afternoon.  Whew.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to hand them out to all the people that I normally would have. 

Needless to say I have a couple left and I know it is already February and everyone probably already has their yearly calendars hanging up but what else am I to do with them but offer them up.  They are my work of art for crying out loud! 

I have two of them and would be more than happy to find them a good home.  After all.. there are ten whole months left that you could be enjoying new snapshots each month.  The first two peeps to leave a comment or email me at peppysis1973@yahoo.com with their address will be the wonderful recipient of a genuine Hulsey 2012 Calendar!

Skinning and Cooking Quail and Feather Usage

I am pretty pumped about this.  This is my first video to make... ever.  I did guest star in a couple of videos that my nieces and nephew made that were pretty cool... here's one  .

This video is a little different as it shows the process of skinning a bird.  A Tennessee Bob White Quail to be exact.  Shaun has gone bird hunting a couple of times lately and I think it is interesting and could be useful to some. My loving husband is the demonstrator in the video and also the narrator.  If I only had actual video footage with the way he explains things.  You'd love it.  I tried to put it into his words as much as I could.

*Please excuse the imperfections on the breast.  One of the hunting dogs brought this one back and looks like she held it a little hard.*

After you skin and clean the quail, it needs to soak in a cold, salt water bath in the refrigerator at least over night.  After that, rinse off the legs and breast in water and dry them on paper towels.  In a bowl, add one egg and 1/4 cup milk and a few drops of Texas Pete hot sauce and stir rapidly with a fork until combined.  In a separate bowl, prepare a mixture of flour and add a bit of Butt Rub and black pepper or whatever kind of spices float your boat, but not too much... the quail is too fine to over spice.

Dredge breast and legs in egg mixture then toss in flour mixture and place on a plate or directly in to your skillet with about a quarter inch of hot fat or lard or oil.  Allow to cook turning after several minutes until brown all over.  The legs will be done before the breast.  The breast take about 15 minutes total time at medium heat.  You can also check their internal temperature to 160 degrees or just cut one open to check for doneness. 

Roll that beautiful Quail footage.

Throw some of the flour from the pre-fry into the skillet and work around with a whisk.  Then add milk and whisk while you pour.  Keep pouring until you get it to the right runny consistency to your likings. This'll be your gravy.  I use between a half cup and a cup depending on if it's just me and Shaun or if Otis stops by because he smelled the quail cooking at his house.  I swear I don't know how he knows but I am always willing to share.

You can also use the beautiful feather from the quail for just about any craft you can come up with.  This dream catcher necklace is what my niece Jessica made for us for Christmas.  She was smart to call me for feathers as I plucked these myself.  Aren't they gorgeous?