Ramp Pesto

If you are lucky enough to have a way to get your hands on some Ramps, this Wild Ramp Pesto is a favorite of ours.  This recipe is just a starting point. I always adjust it depending on my mood, and ingredients on hand. 

This is great added to pasta, or any other dish you would use with a pesto. 

I often freeze the pesto in small portion sizes so I can pull some out during the off season and enjoy it in a dish.

Wild Ramp Pesto

1/4 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces ramps ( I only use the greens)

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/2 tsp salt

In large skillet heat 2 Tablespoon olive oil. Add ramps, and saute until just wilted. Set aside to cool.

Add cooled ramps and remaining ingredients to food processor. Puree until almost smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Store covered in refrigerator or freeze.

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Ramps (AKA Wild Leeks)

In the past spring time hunting in the woods meant morel season to me.That changed last year when a friend introduced me to Ramps. In Wiscosnin, these lovely greens are harvested in the spring. They have a lovely garlicy onion flavor. This year the season started in late April, but of course, would vary depending on temperatures.

We have yet to find Ramps on our farm, but my friend has had me over to pick them on his farm this season, and last.  

We had to head way back, past old cow pastures.

We reached a hillside that was covered in a carpet of Ramps! 

This particular hillside was covered. The plant is strikingly similar to Lily of the Valley

You will get hungry while you are picking the leaves. The smell is intoxicating.

For most food dishes, you only need to harvest the leaves. So, we pick one leaf off near the base. Leaving one leaf to let the plant continue to live.

We did harvest a small amount of the whole plant, bulb and leaf. The bulb is very flavorful as well.

Winston accompanied us on our hunting expedition. Isn't he cute?

If you would like to know more about Ramps, try some of these links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_tricoccum

http://www.wildedible.com/wild-food-guide/ramps

http://theforagerpress.com/fieldguide/aprilfd.htm

More posts to come on preparing Ramps.

Tell me, have you heard of Ramps or Wild Leeks before? Do you know them by another name?

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Frosted Lemon Cookies

I have seen some of my blogger friends asking where does the time go, and I would like some help with that question! It seems like I just shared my Easter Cookie Cups, and here we are already to May's "Fill the Cookie Jar"! This month the theme is "Mother's Favorites". 

 I turned the cookie decision process over to my mom, and she requested "Lemon". Other than that, Mom left it up to me. I made a couple different recipes, and this one was the hit. Loved by all, and requests for more!

It is a soft, chewy, bright flavored cookie, with the lemon zest bringing the lemon flavor to the top! These cookies were just as popular without the frosting, so if you are looking to save time, or calories, feel free to skip it! They will be just as popular.

If you are interested in joining Fill The Cookie Jar group on facebook, fill out the form that can be found at Fill The Cookie Jar. Each month we bake a different theme for the cookie.

We bake, we share and we enjoy our cookies!

Lemon Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp lemon juice
Zest from one lemon
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder


Frosting
6 Tablespoon butter, softened
1 Tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Sprinkles or colored sugar, optional

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg (plus one egg yolk), mix well. Add lemon juice, and zest, mixing until combined.  Slowly add flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until dough forms a ball. Cover and chill dough for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Using small cookie scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheet two to three inches apart.  Bake for 9-11 minutes, just until edges are starting to turn golden. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.

While cookies are cooling, in large mixing bowl add butter, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Mix until smooth and creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing until desired consistency for spreading. Add more powdered sugar as needed, if you want it thicker. Frost when cookies are completely cooled.

**For the bright colored decorating sugar: Put 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar in a small bag. Add 1/8 tsp of yellow gel food coloring. Squish the gel and the sugar around for a couple minutes until the two are completely mixed together.

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Around the Farm

This past week was somewhat quiet around the farm.  

Almost time for this fuzzy monster to go in for his spring time grooming!

Truckin' Man was gone for the weekend, and the chickens found there way into his shed and made quite the mess! 

Of course, I thought it was cute :)

I was shocked to find one patch of our bleeding hearts in full bloom! Apparently, this is a nice warm spot!

Hosta's are shooting up further and further every day

Hazel wanted to help with the eggs?

Georgette is always so pretty.

I just loved the way the tractor sitting and the clouds were hanging around this day.

Until next week....!