Sonlit Acres

In a day of highly processed and fast foods, we thought it would be nice to have a page of slow cooked healthy recipes that you can share with your family.

Many of the recipes you find here are cooked on our homestead  regularly. More recipes will be added as time goes on, please stop by often and take a look. 

 

Grilled Rabbit 

1 fryer rabbit, cut up
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup butter
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. summer savory
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper

Marinate rabbit in lemon juice for at least three hours in refrigerator. Melt butter in saucepan and add remaining ingredients. Grill rabbit 5 to 7 inches from coals being careful that fire is not too hot. Brush with butter mixture and grill 40-45 minutes, turning frequently until golden brown and tender.

(Note: Since rabbit has so little fat in the meat, it must be cooked over low heat or it will be tough. If you can hold your hand near the grill for a count of 3-5 seconds, the fire should be about the correct temperature).

 

 More Grilled Rabbit

2 to 3 lb. fryer rabbit, cut into serving pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup sherry wine
1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Season moist pieces of rabbit with salt and pepper. Place over medium hot bed of coals. Make sauce by mixing cooking oil, sherry wine and seasoned salt together. Keep rabbit well basted with this sauce, turning pieces frequently. Cook for about 1 hour or until tender. You may use your own favorite barbecue sauce also, just add some oil to it to help keep the rabbit moist. Make sure the charcoal isn't too hot; rabbit needs slow cooking . Serves 4 to 6.

 

 Noodles & Rabbit Casserole 

 

 2 cups rabbit meat, cubed
1 package of egg noodles
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped bell pepper
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
½ soup can milk
Shredded cheese

Cut rabbit meat into ¼" cubes, and cook in small amount of cooking oil for 10 minutes. Drain off excess oil and set aside. Cook egg noodles in boiling water till tender. Drain. Add rabbit meat, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, cream of mushroom soup, and milk. Mix all ingredients together and put in a casserole dish.

Bake at 350º for 20 minutes. Top with shredded cheese and serve.

Note: T = Tablespoon   t = teaspoon

 

 

Italian Country Bread

Make a sponge with

1 t. yeast

1/3 cup lukewarm water

2/3 cup of room temp. milk

1 t. honey

Mix well and let ferment for 4-10 hours

Dough

1 t. yeast

2 cups warm water

1 T. salt

5 - 5 ½ cups flour

To make the dough add yeast, water, salt and 1 cup of flour to the sponge.

Beat hard with a Wisk for 3 minutes or in a mixer with paddles at med speed for 1 minute.

Add the rest of the flour 1 cup at a time mix well.  The dough should be smooth and not pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn out on a flour surface and knead vigorously for 5 minutes. Slam dough against table or bench to help develop gluten in the dough.

Set aside uncovered for 5 ? 10 minutes.

Knead again until the dough is well smoothed with no extra flour on it.

Place in a bowl covered until tripled (2 ½ - 3 hrs.)

Remove from container and knead lightly and work into 1 or 2 round loaves. Then flatten slightly and dust with a little flour.

Rise uncovered at room temp until soft and springy. Dock before placing in oven.

Bake at 400 deg. For 55- 60 minutes.

 

 

  8 Grain Bread

2 ¼ cups boiling water

1 ½ cups of 8 grain cereal

2 ¼ T. yeast

½ cup water

½ cup of buttermilk or plain milk

½ cup of honey

2 oz lard or oil

4 eggs

1 oz salt

7 ½ cups flour

Add boiling water to cereal and let set 1 hour.

Mix remaining ingredients into mixer and mix 6 ? 8 min.

Let rise to double, punch, let set 10-15 min, cut into 2 loaves.

Let rise in pan and bake at 375 deg for 30 ? 35 minutes or until it sounds hallow when tapped on the bottom.

3 Egg yolks

1 Whole Egg

3T cold water

1 t  salt

2 cups flour

 Beat the egg yolks with the whole egg until very light.

Beat in the salt and water.

Stir in the flour and work with hands until blended.

Divide dough into 2 parts.

Roll out each part as thin as possible on a lightly floured board.

Let stand until partially dry, at least 1 hour, then roll up like a jelly roll and cut into strips of any desired width.

Shake out strips and allow them to finish drying before using or storing them.

 If storing place in containers and freeze.

This is our favorite sausage recipe. It's a big recipe as we have a large family and normally put one hog into sausage each year. If placing in casings you will want 20% fat to keep sausage from being dry. 10% fat if using as patties. You may also leave out the crushed red pepper if you are looking for a good breakfast sausage. Crushed red pepper is something you will have to add according to your personal taste. We normally stick to what the recipe calls for.

 

40 pounds of fresh pork

1/4 Cup salt

1/2 cup Garlic salt

2 T freashly ground black pepper

1 cup ground paprika

2 cups Vegetable oil

2 T anise seed

2 T fennel seed

1/4 cup crushed red pepper

 

Place ground pork into a large bowl  or mixer. add all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stuff into casings or place in the refrigerator in a couple large covered bowls for 24 hours so all seasonings blend in well.  Then bag or wrap and freeze.

 

  Homestead Sausage Recipe 2

Hot Mild or sweet.

45 pounds fresh pork

5 pounds Pork fat

10 oz coarse Salt

5 oz fennel seed

5 oz ground black pepper

3.5 oz Crushed red pepper

Adjust to taste.

 (None if you want sweet sausage.)

20 cloves fresh minced garlic.

 

Prepare casings by soaking them to remove the salt, then flush water through them.

Cut meat and fat into cube about 1-inch square. Place in freezer or outside if cold enough to partially freeze it.

Mix meat and fat, then grind with a coarse disk of a meat grinder.

Place meat on clean flat surface and add all ingredients, (Red pepper as desired.) Mixing well with your hands.

Place in refrigerator or cool place overnight to meld flavors.

After setting overnight it is a good idea to cook some and see if it is flavored as you like it. If it is stuff the mixture into casings as desired, or make patties and freeze.

Make about 50 pounds.

10 slices of bacon

2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt & pepper, to taste

1 large onion, chopped

3 leeks, chopped and well rinsed (use the white part)

6 carrots, peeled and cut into slices

2 turnips, peeled and cut into pieces

2 t sugar

2 1/2 cups of homemade beef stock

2 1/2 cups of red wine (preferable Burgundy, but drinkable)

2 T of tomato paste

2 T of butter

2 T red currant jelly

1 T fresh rosemary, chopped

2 cups of pearl onions, red or white

8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced  

8 -10 red   potatoes, cubed

5 cloves of chopped garlic

1/2 of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

 

 

Lot's of prep work, you'll want to do it before you get started with this recipe. The more you prep before starting the actual cooking, the easier everything else goes.  Start by cutting the beef chuck into 1-inch cubes. Next chop the onions.

The leeks must be well rinsed before using so you can wash them first and then chop or chop and wash. It makes no difference but you may want to get rid of all and any of the sand that is common with leeks. When chopping, use all of the white part. 

Peel the carrots and cut them into ½ inch slices. Peel the turnips and cut into pieces. Have your beef stock and wine ready to go. Finely chop the fresh rosemary and parsley.

The pearl onions will need to be peeled. Prepare the pearl onions by boiling them for 5 minutes, rinse, drain, and peel. Reserve them with the rest of the vegetables.

Slice your mushrooms, quarter the potatoes and finish by mincing the garlic.

 

Cook the bacon in a large fry pan until the fat is rendered. Remove the crisp bacon and transfer it to a large heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid.  

Sauté the beef in the same pan until all sides are browned. Don't crowd the beef or it will steam and not brown properly, so cook it in batches if necessary. Season with a little salt and pepper. When finished, transfer to your large cooking pot.

Add the onions, leeks, carrots, and turnips to the fry pan, add sugar and cook over medium high heat for approximately 8 minutes. Remove the vegetables and reserve in a large bowl.

Add the butter to the fry pan and sauté the mushrooms over medium high heat for approximately 10 minutes. Transfer to the reserved vegetables.

Add the wine to deglaze the fry pan, then the beef stock, and then whisk in red currant jam, tomato paste and rosemary. Cook for a couple of minutes and add to the pot with the meat and bacon.

Add the potatoes and garlic to the meat, bacon, and cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

Add the reserved vegetables, half the chopped parsley and continue cooking until the meat is tender. (approximately 30-45 minutes)

Serve using the remaining parsley for garnish.

 

This is great with Italian bread.

 

Allowing 30 minutes to cook the onions. Very slow cooking will give them a deep golden color and release their full flavor.

3 Tablespoons butter                           Freshly ground pepper

4 cups onions, thinly sliced                 Slices of dried or toasted bread

1/3-teaspoon sugar                              Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon flour

4 cups water

Salt

Melt butter in pot, add onions, and cook very slowly over low heat, stirring often for about 10-15 minutes. Stir in sugar and flour. Cook for 3 minutes. Add water and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on top of toast. Sprinkle with cheese.

 Beside boiling, asparagus may be cooked in the oven.

Boil a bunch of fine asparagus for twelve minutes. Lay it in a baking dish. Moisten it with half a cup of the water in which it was boiled.

Grate Parmesan cheese over it, season it well with salt and pepper, sprinkle a tablespoonful of fresh bread crumbs over the top with a tablespoonful of butter cut in bits, and bake in a moderately hot oven for fifteen minutes.

Cold boiled asparagus is very nice served as a salad with French dressing or with the following sauce:  Pound the yolk of a hard-boiled egg to a paste, add two teaspoonfuls of good vinegar, a salt spoon full of salt and half the amount of pepper. Add an onion minced fine. Toss all together thoroughly and pour it over the cold asparagus.

4  cups all-purpose flour, stirred or sifted before measuring

5  teaspoons baking powder

1  teaspoon salt

2  egg, slightly beaten

3  cups milk or Butter milk

4  tablespoons melted butter

Preparation: Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine egg and milk; add to flour mixture, stirring only until smooth. Blend in melted butter. Cook on a hot, greased griddle, using about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until golden brown on one side and around edge; turn and brown the other side. Recipe serves 8.

 

 

 

 This recipe was given to us by our old neighbor back in the 1980's it was her grandmother's. Mrs. Fuller Passed on a several years ago, she was in her 90's. We thought we would honor her, her mother and Grandmother buy sharing this recipe.

I have made these many times and the whole family loves them.

Pare 12 large ripe Cukes and remove the pulp.

Cut in strips 2 inches wide and 3-4 inches long.

Let stand a few minutes.

Making the liquid

Use 2 pounds of white sugar.

2 cups: Vinegar

2 Tablespoons: cinnamon

1 Tablespoon: cloves

Boil ingredients together and skim, once skimmed put cukes in and cook until tender, remove and fill jars with cukes. Once liquid has cooled for 15 minutes pour over cukes and seal in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

She never did say how much head space to leave so we always used 1/4 inch and have never had a problem.

Yolks should be beaten lightly. Much beating will make them too thin and it is said that twelve beats is the magic number. Add the milk, pepper, salt and flour if it is used, and lastly add the whites beaten to a stiff froth.

The skillet should be as hot as possible without scorching the butter; after putting in a tablespoonful of butter the omelet should be poured in and it should begin to bubble and rise in flakes at once. It should be raised from the bottom occasionally with a thin, broad-bladed knife to prevent burning. Fold over as soon as the under side is set enough to hold together. Shake the skillet so as to free the omelet, slide it carefully on a hot platter and serve at
once. It should be cooked in from three to five minutes.

• Omelet  One cup of milk, 3 eggs, 1 heaping tablespoonful of flour, and a little salt. Beat the eggs separately; stir milk, flour and eggs together; turn into a hot frying pan. Cook with plenty of butter; cut in quarters and fold over the other.
• Potato Omelet: One cup of cold mashed potatoes, put again through the ricer; 1 eggs beaten separately; salt; drop from a spoon on a hot, well-buttered skillet; when brown turn and brown on the other side. Serve at once.
• French Omelet: Thoroughly beat 8 eggs separately; add to the yolks 8 tablespoonfuls of sweet milk, 1 tablespoonful of flour, 1 tablespoonful of good baking powder, pepper and salt; beat well together; then fold in lightly at the last, the beaten whites. Have ready a skillet with melted butter, smoking hot, and pour in the mixture; let cook on bottom, then put in oven from 5 to 10 minutes; serve at once.
• Baked Omelet: One cup of boiling milk, 6 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of cornstarch, mixed with a little cold milk; season with salt and pepper;
  beat the yolks of eggs light and pour upon them the boiling milk; stir in the cornstarch; whip in the beaten whites of eggs; have dish well buttered and hot; then pour in omelet and bake 12 minutes, or until set in the
  middle. Serve at once.
• Jelly or Marmalade Omelet: Make a plain omelet and just before turning one half over the other spread it with jelly or marmalade.
• Ham Omelet: Make a plain omelet and sprinkle on some finely chopped ham just before turning one half over the other. Garnish with small pieces of ham.

 

1/4 cup white sugar

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp each of: nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon

1/2-cup molasses

1/2-cup sour milk

1/3 cup shortening

1-cup raisins

1 egg

1/2-tsp baking soda

2-tsp baking powder

 

Mix all ingredients together well. Bake in a 350-degree oven, in a jellyroll sized (13 x 10 x 1”) baking pan.

2 - 4 Cortland or Macintosh  apples

1 - 2 fresh raw carrots

1/4 + or - Cup Raisins

 

Peel, core and grate apples.

Peel and grate carrots

Combine apples and carrots in bowl. Add raisins. Moisten with mayonnaise. Chill several hours before serving, to allow flavor to develop.

 

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4-tsp salt

1 Tbsp. melted butter

1/2-cup milk

2 cups floured blueberries

 

Beat sugar and eggs. Add sifted flour with baking powder, salt, butter and milk.

Add blueberries last.

Bake in greased square pan in a Pre heated oven 350° for 30-35 minutes.

Mix in a bowl:

2 eggs                         

1 tsp vanilla

1-cup sugar                

2 cups grated zucchini squash

1-cup oil

Mix in another bowl:

3 cups flour                            

1/2 tsp salt

1-tsp cinnamon

1/4-tsp baking powder

2-tsp baking soda                    

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2-cup raisins

Put the above mixture into first bowl and mix together. Pour into bread pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Makes 2 loafs.