The Bag Lady has had a busy few days. She spoke to her mother-in-law on the phone the other day, and her MIL asked how much lard she ended up with. When the Bag Lady told her that she got a little over a pound, she told the Bag Lady that once she tasted pastry made with home-made lard, she would wish she had more.
From her lips to God's ear. A couple hours later, the phone rang. It was the fellow who had supplied the pork, telling her that he had saved her the leaf fat from not one but TWO pigs! The Bag Lady was pleased to hear that. (Especially after she Googled "leaf fat" to discover that it is the fat surrounding the internal organs, and is the preferred rendering fat.)
The Bag Lady rendered one batch of lard over the weekend, and still has another batch to do. She is now swimming in lard! She will have a life-time supply. Pies, tarts, quiche, pigs-in-a-blanket. Apple pie, cherry pie, pumpkin pie, banana cream pie. Meat pie, tourtierre, chicken pot pie. OY!
The Rancher dug the potatoes on the weekend, too. And the Bag Lady dug the rutabagas. So the harvest is complete. There are potatoes for the winter, and enough rutabagas to feed a small nation.
The Bag Lady also used some of the suggestions y'all came up with and made a pot of beans using some of the cracklins. She also used some pork hocks, which she had never tried before. The beans were excellent. THEN she found a recipe on the internet for Cracklin Corn Bread, and made that, too! It was delicious.
The Bag Lady needs a new challenge. Any suggestions for what she should do now?
20 comments:
"swimming in lard"
Um...Yum?
I think you should make a tortierre. I've never made one before, but had one once and it was heaven. I'd love to have one of your step by step pictorals of how to :) I love seeing your kitchen creations...reminds me to get the camera more when I'm in the kitchen.
What do you do with rutabagas? I've never been able to find a way to cook them that I like...so bitter...
You should bake a whole bunch of stuff for me to eat.
NB: "swimming in lard" gives the most interesting visual.
"Swimming in lard!" hehehehe
I don't bake so have no suggestions...except to echo Leah on making ME stuff to sample!
Geo - Tortierre sounds like a good idea!!
For rutabagas,I either boil and mash them with butter and brown sugar, or spray them with olive oil and roast them - YUM! Wish I could send you some of mine - they are so sweet and delicious!
dfLeah - c'mon up! I promise to bake for you.
Missicat - you come, too! I'll bake all kinds of things for you to sample! :)
df Bag Lady,
I would never dare challenge you as your talent far exceeds my own.
Terrie
Learn to swim?
Oh, did you want this restricted to the house/ranch? How about making cheese? Of course, you would need a different kind of cow, or a goat.
"swimming in lard" This really cracked me up. I'm sorry, I was getting a mental picture of me doing that and OMG, too funny!
How about making some of it into soap? That seems like quite a challenge...
I am still awaiting my pig candle.
And I thought you said you were going to become a vegan.
Big fat lard-eating pants on fire!
dfTerrie - methinks you sell yourself short! But thanks for the compliment!
Reb - don't be silly. I can't swim. I'm not sure about cheese-making, either! :)
Aleta - glad you got a laugh out of it! :)
Scrumpy - now you've got me wondering about making soap.....
POD - that cracked me up! Especially after your post about your addiction to large undies!!
I also like the pig candle idea;) If you keep going like this I see a small business in your future! You know, in addition to the one you already have. And your two jobs. And the ranch. Ahem. Get on that, will you? ;)
Charlotte - THAT cracked me up, too! Pig candles, two jobs, ranching, and sewing the CartSmart bags. Gosh, what will I do in my spare time!? Work on my novel? :)
Don't use your nice new lard for soap! That's what used fat is for.
One of the things I've never done. My grandmother made soap even after she moved to the city. I keep meaning to try it.
Mary Anne in Kentucky
Can I come live with you? ;) Lol.
challenge: GETTING ME TO SAMPLE THE CRACKLIN CORN BREAD!!
:)
You already sound like you have enough to do to keep a small army busy!
Congratulations on finishing the harvest!
My Dad says that his mother used to bake with lard and there's nothing like it. Must try to get some one of these days I guess.
Hey, do you ever make pound cake? Speaking of my Dad, he really likes pound cake and I was thinking of trying to make a homemade one to take home at Christmas, but I need a good recipe.
Mary Anne in Kentucky - I have never tried to make soap. I must put that on the "to-do" list! (Got a recipe?)
Georgie - SURE! I could use a hand with some of this work!! :)
Miz - funny you should say that! There is a woman at work who reminds me so much of you, it's scary! SHE tried some of the cracklin corn bread the other day and liked it. Said it reminded her of french toast.
:)
Messymimi - I am quite happy to have all the veggies under control! And will soon (hopefully) have the lard tamed as well. But by then, it will be time to go back to work.
Sigh.
JavaChick - you definitely need to try baking with lard, then.
Pound cake. I haven't made one for a very long time - hmmm, there's a challenge I could attempt! Or, better yet, YOU attempt it and let us know how it went! :)
"Any suggestions for what she should do now?"
Relax, maybe? :)
Hilary - you crack me up!!! :)
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