This is how the chaos of harvest begins. My Farmer comes in for a quick lunch and leaves with a nonchalant, “We’re going to go out and try some beans today.”
By mid-afternoon, my phone rings. “We’re runnin’ now so whenever you want to bring dinner.”
Although we know harvest is coming it always seems to take us by surprise. So, I relied heavily on my garden to supply the ingredients for this first menu.
Meal 1: BLTs, Baked Potato Chips, Sweet Corn & Other Stuff, Pumpkin Squares
BLTs (Bacon, Lettuce & Tomatoes)
I’ve been craving this sandwich all summer, but my tomato crop was far from plentiful. Finally a few fruits were ripe for picking just in time for our first dinner “out”.
Fry thick sliced bacon. Thinly slice tomatoes and clean lettuce. Toast fresh bakery bread, slather with mayo or horseradish dressing (My Farmer’s favorite sandwich spread), and pile on bacon, lettuce and tomatoes.
Baked Potato Chips (from Simply Recipes)
Sweet Corn & Other Stuff (from Carla Hall & The Chew)
Normally, I flip on the morning news for background noise while trying to get everyone and their stuff out the door. Monday, I got busy with other tasks and mid-morning realized I hadn’t turned the TV off. Before I hit the remote however, I caught Carla whipping up a very simple corn dish. I can’t find the official recipe on The Chew’s website, but here is my version.
Chop a small onion and two garlic cloves. Saute on medium heat. (I kept a little bacon grease from the BLT making.) Add sweet corn and heat through. Remove from heat and add chopped green pepper, quartered grape tomatoes and torn basil leaves. Stir and serve.
While cleaning the kitchen later in the evening, I found two cans of lima beans and realized they were supposed to be in this dish. Those and feta cheese, which was sitting in my refrigerator. Oh well, what they don’t know . . .
Pumpkin Squares (from my mom and My Farmer’s favorite!)
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 beaten eggs
- 2 cups pumpkin
- 1 cup oil
Mix all of the above and pour into greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. For frosting, blend the following and add 1 3/4 cups of powdered sugar.
- 3 oz. cream cheese (I usually put in the whole 8 oz. package. This recipe isn’t hoping to be healthy pumpkin squares.)
- 3/4 stick margarine
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Looks good to me. We’ve finished harvest so have a break before meals have to be taken to the fields for autumn cultivations.
I thought our farm was the only one that starts each harvest with, “By the way, we are cutting.” It makes me feel better to know it must be a universal Farmer Thing. ?
You’ve got a new follower!
Love this – Thanks for the great recipes! As soon as i read “I kept a little bacon grease…” I knew I’d like your style! I just wrote a similar article on 9/22, “How to Feed a Farmer” http://corncorps.com/ Check it out! Have a happy, safe and bountiful harvest!
Ha! Every year I think I am going to have a freezer full of stuff before field meals start, and every year it doesn’t happen. But meals always get to the field, so that is a good thing! 🙂
I use the exact same containers to feed my crew! Love em. It doesn’t seem to matter how much I plan ahead I’m never ready for the chaos of feeding a big crew in the field.