As 2010 Comes to a Close

As 2010 comes to an end, so does the approach of the one year anniversary of The Wife of a Dairyman.  I truly appreciate and thank you for following along with me on this journey.  I've learned a lot in 2010.  I've met so many wonderful, inspirational people that I now call friends and reconnected with old ones through blogging and I feel blessed by that. I look forward to experiencing another year in this journey to who knows where.  I hope you will come along as well.

For fun, {and because, isn't this what one is supposed to do at year's end?} I chose some of the posts that I've enjoyed and made me laugh the most from 2010.....

                                       The Bull                       Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

                                                        Where the green grass grows

                             Learning to drive                  Meeting new friends in person in SLO

                        Magnets can save a cow's life                  Farmers on vacation

Cousin Vic

In January I introduced you to our Hoof Trimmer, Joe and shared when the Buck Stopped Here on the dairy.

In February I demonstrated one reason that Bulls Terrify Me and that sometimes you may find Cows on the Loose at a dairy.

March was a month of the Big Moove for our beef.  I learned what in the world a Killdeer was on my very own egg hunt and I also jotted down some Dairy Myths vs. Dairy Facts.

April was a thrilling month, mainly because I was able to have lunch with and meet Temple Grandin in person, thanks to our friends, the Taylors.  Dominic demonstrated just how he shoots a magnet into a cow's tummy and learned How a Magnet can Save a Cow's Life. and that green grass doesn't only grow from the ground.

In May, I brought the kids to their first Portuguese Festa to learn a little about what I experienced growing up, being raised as a 1st generation Portuguese American within my family.  Another demonstration by Dominic showed us how a cow can become pregnant by A.I.

In June I found out just how much trust Dominic has in my tractor driving abilities......and how brave he is!
Paige also discovered just how a good hand sucking feels, dairy style.  And I can't forget about the baby barn owls in the calf barn in the woods....definitely a highlight!

July was a month of friends, food and discovering farmers can only relax when on vacation away from the ranch....even if they do wear boots to the beach.

In August I learned all about the sea of jellyfish we discovered at a favorite beach spot.  And with my cousin's visit, just what goes into Bolashas De Espece.  I also talked about  how we test our milk and why.

September was a month of discovering what Farmers, Facebook, Twitter and Blogging have in common with my trip to Chicago. And also sharing a link on how to know where your milk is from.

October I faced a fear I've had for a lifetime....public speaking at the Cal Poly Dairy Symposium and then relaxing at the SLO bar scene afterwords....Phew!

In November, I was properly taught how to drive a tractor by a very patient Dominic.  I also got to experience my first Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco....eat, eat, eat!

And here we are in December.  A month of parties, such as the Dairy Women's Christmas Luncheon.
And how I caught Santa for the very first time!

Oh and I can't finish without including one of the most viewed recipes {and one of my favorites} from 2010... Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.  And the post that generated the most comments, Organic vs. Conventional Dairy Farms.

What is one of your most memorable occasions of 2010??  Any big plans for 2011??
I wish you and your family a very healthy and happy 2011.  Cheers!


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Bolashas De Espece ~ Portuguese

My aunt used to make the BEST Portuguese cookies.  She has since past away and I think it's really important for my family heritage to learn how to bake these labor intensive cookies.  I searched online and through a couple of my Portuguese cookbooks to see if I could find the recipe but had no luck.  At a Portuguese Festa, a plate of these said cookies are normally auctioned off at at least $65 a plate!   This is another reason to learn how to make these because I am not paying $65 for a plate of cookies.....sorry Portuguese Holy Ghost Society, I know it's a fund raiser but I just can't do that.

Just recently, my cousin, Victor came up for a visit from southern CA and he brought with him, his mom's recipe for these cookies.  They have been called Portuguese Horseshoe Cookies or the proper name, Bolashas De Espece {espeshie cookies}.

After our long day in Healdsburg, we had dinner then we got busy baking these cookies.  When or if you have house guests, try cooking or baking with them......we had the best time!

Here's what you need.  {full recipe below}

For the filling, bring water, sugar and butter to a boil, then turn off the heat.

Grind up anis seeds.

Lisa, grinding the anis.

Blend in a bowl, lemon rinds, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, pepper anis extract and 1/2 of the plain bread crumbs.

Add to the pot of water, butter & sugar.

You will probably need to add the remaining 8 oz. of bread crumbs, but add them slowly so the mixture becomes firm enough to mold into little sausage-like shapes without falling apart. If you find the mixture is too thick and think it may crumble when rolling into little sausages, add more water.  If it's too thin, add more bread crumbs.  This is really difficult to describe, you just have to go by feel .....hopefully my photos will help.

We added the remaining bread crumbs to the mixture.

Set this mixture aside, covered with a towel.  When cool, add 1/3 cube of butter to the mixture and knead it again well.

Now for the dough.  Mix flour and Crisco {yes Crisco! you read correctly} together with pastry blender.  Add in eggs, sugar and 1/2 the amount of water and mix well with your hands.  Add in more water as you go until it's all blended.

Work that dough like you've never worked dough before.  We did this for a good 20 minutes!  Now I understand why these cookies go for $65 a plate!  Phew!  I was sweating  and it was coming up on 9 p.m. at night.

Give your over-tired, 3 year old who's up way past her bedtime some dough to play with.

Wrap the precious dough and refrigerate for an hour.

Butter your fingers and begin working on rolling the filling for the cookies.

My niece Ami.

After the filling is ready to go, roll out some dough.  Really thin.  This is where, if you have a pasta attachment for your Kitchen Aid mixer, you'd want to whip it out and use it.....instead of rolling by hand.  I don't have said attachment {ravioli attachment} but it is now on my list of things to purchase because I'm not making these cookies again without one. 

Place the filling in center of dough and fold over.

Use pastry cutter to cut the dough following the filling.

Shape into a horseshoe.

Snip seven cuts into the top of the cookie to allow for the filling to pop out during the baking time.

It's 10:30 p.m. and we're tired and slap happy at this point.

Finished product.  Now our filling did not pop out as it was supposed to.  We think we added too much bread crumbs to the filling but the taste was spot on.  This cookie has the flavor of sweet {the dough} and spice with a pepper after taste.  If you ever get the chance to try one, do it and if you've been searching for this recipe, as I had been, here it is!  Enjoy!

Bolashas De Espece

For the Filling:

1 15 oz container of plain bread crumbs

2 T cinnamon

1 T nutmeg

1 T anis seed, ground

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 stick unsalted butter

zest of one lemon

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of water

Bring water, butter and sugar to boil, then turn off heat.  Mix the remaining ingredients and only half of the bread crumbs in a separate bowl and mix, then add to the pot on the stove and mix.  Add the remaining bread crumbs.  Let mixture cool, covering with a towel.  After it's cooled, add 1/3 cube of butter and knead it again well.

After cooled, roll out little wienie like rolls, about 1/3 inch in diameter, 5 inches long.  Set aside.

For the Dough:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

7 cups of bread flour

8 oz. of Crisco {vegetable shortening}.....

1 1/3 cup cold refrigerated water - put about 1/2 in and then a little more at a time while mixing.
pinch of salt

Blend Crisco into about 5 cups of the flour with a pastry blender.  Add remaining ingredients.  Keep adding remaining flour {and water}as you go.

Knead dough with your hands until blended well.  Cover and refrigerate.  This is when you can prepare the filling.

Take dough out of fridge and roll out thin.  Place the filling roll on the dough and fold over.  Use pastry cutter to cut around the filling.  Bend into horseshoe shape and cut 7 snips in the top of cookie.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Happy Saturday!

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