Annie’s Fried Corn

Once upon a time there was a cook named Annie. She made bland, boiled food. Her husband, JP, loved her, so he ate it, thanked her, and went on with life. One day, Annie discovered spices, butter, and bacon. Life as he knew it, changed for JP. From time to time, I am still able to surprise him.

A few nights ago, I whipped up some fried corn. JP sat down at the table and the following conversation occurred….JP: “What did you do to the corn?” Me: “What do you mean?” JP: “What is in the corn?” Me: “Butter and bacon.” JP: (almost knocks down the rest of supper to get to the corn.)

I figured if it got that type of reaction from JP, I had better share it with the rest of y’all.

Annie’s Fried Corn

• Grab a skillet. Throw a couple of tablespoons of butter in it. Melt.
• Throw ½ cup of bacon crumples in the butter. If you don’t have bacon crumbles, fry up 4 or 5 pieces of bacon and crumble into pan. If you are feeling extra saucy, leave the bacon fat in the pan.
• Add sweet corn. This can be straight off the cob, freezer corn, or canned corn. Whatever you have on hand. Stir.
• Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add ¾ cup of milk. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove from heat.

I have found that this is a great dish for carry-ins. It is also great as warmed up left-overs. I hope your family loves it as much as mine does!

Enjoy your evening, my lovelies!

~Annie

Homestead Annie’s Frozen Kale

As of right now, I have a garden full of kale, as well as a pan full on my kitchen counter, which is demanding my attention.

I enjoy kale mixed in salads, as well as straight out of the garden, raw. I am also going to try a new recipe tonight with pan-fried kale.

However, my favorite use of kale is for a family dish that mixes kale with potatoes and smoked sausage (a post for another time.)

In order to be able to have kale for winter, I enjoy putting it up as it comes on in my garden. It is a very simple preservation technique, one that can be used for kale out of your own garden, a local farmers’ market, or your grocery.

Homestead Annie’s Frozen Kale

• Select healthy, full leaves. Discard leaves with holes or insect damage.
• Wash leaves under cold, running water, placing in colander to dry.
• Fold kale leaf in half and trim leaves from spine. Discard spine (I give mine to our chickens and rabbits.)
• Place leaves in microwave steamer. I bought mine from Pampered Chef. It is well worth my money. If you do not have a microwave steamer, you can use a bowl with a lid, partially set on.
• Add 1 tablespoon of water. Cover.
• Place in microwave for 5 minutes.
• Drain.
• Cool.
• Place in one-quart freezer bag. If the bag is not full, set aside in your freezer and add to it as more kale comes in from your garden.

That’s it. Simple, really. You can use your supply of frozen kale to add to soups and main dishes throughout the winter. Enjoy your day, my friends!

~Annie

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Big T’s Natural Mosquito Killer

If y’all are like our family, you love to spend the long days (and nights) of summer, outdoors. However, along with the warmer and sunnier weather, come nature’s deterrent from being outdoors in your yard: mosquitoes.

We can’t stand mosquitoes. We also can’t stand the pesticides that the bug spray and foggers use to get rid of them.  For years, we have just put up with the little buggers, using our bug light and bat houses to try to keep their numbers down.

Enter Big T. Big T and JP were chatting one day while we were at Big T’s house. JP asked him about the containers around his yard. Big T explained that those containers got rid of the mosquito population. From that moment on, our outdoor activities have taken on much more enjoyment.

Big T’s Natural Mosquito Killer

• Grab several containers that you don’t mind setting outside all summer. We used old peanut butter jars.
• Fill ¾ of the way up with water.
• Add three drops of blue dawn dish soap.
• Stir.
• Place containers all around your yard. JP placed them all over three of our five acres.

You will notice a difference within a week. Fewer mosquitos, then no mosquitoes. Seriously.

Why this works: mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water. The dawn in the water prevents the eggs from hatching. Therefore, fewer mosquitos, then, eventually, no mosquitoes.

Once in awhile we have an errant mosquito, but even those die off and are gone quickly, unable to reproduce successfully.

I hope you find this approach in the war on mosquitoes to prove as successful at your house as it is at ours. We love that we have found a pesticide-free way to keep mosquitoes from attacking us in our back yard!

~Annie

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BB’s Amazing Tub and Shower Cleaner

Coming home from vacation, I had a few days before I started my summer job as an agronomist. I took this opportunity to do a bit of deep cleaning. One of my projects was to remove the build up of soap scum and grime from our tub and surround.

Since we live on a working homestead, our tub and shower get a lot of use, and are in a constant cry to be cleaned.

Last year, my friend, BB, told me of an awesome way to get rid of the soap scum, grime, and hard water stains from around my tub and surround. The great part is that it takes minimal elbow grease on my part. I hope you find it as useful as I do!

BB’s Amazing Tub and Shower Cleaner

• ¾ cup vinegar. Heat in microwave for 2 minutes. Pour into spray bottle.
• Add ¼ cup blue Dawn.
• Place two cups of water in microwave for 2 minutes. Add to solution.
• Mix well.
• Spray liberally on tub and surround.
• Walk away and let it set for 15 minutes. Chat with a friend, read your book, weed a row in your garden…something besides staring at your tub. Because seriously, we all have better things to do than stare at our tub while it soaks in solution.
• Head back on in to the bathroom. Take a washcloth with you.
• Wipe down the surround and tub. Rinse.
• You may have to repeat a few times (as I did) if you have been neglecting your tub for a while. However, you will see fabulous results in the end!

Tonight, when JP arrived home from work, I showed him the tub. He was in awe. It looked so shiny and clean, that it looked brand new. This stuff is seriously that good.

Enjoy your summer, my friends! Show that tub who’s boss!

~Annie

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